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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173471">Let me come home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottunite/pseuds/nottunite'>nottunite</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Murder Mystery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:55:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,141</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nottunite/pseuds/nottunite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The arrival of a mysterious woman and her handsome friend shakes up things between Phryne and Jack.<br/>Somewhere after Season 2.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Phryne Fisher &amp; Jack Robinson, Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I love all your stories, short ones, long ones.<br/>I love to see them being posted almost every other day.<br/>I wanted to contribute to this fandom.<br/>To keep it alive :).</p><p>English is not my native language, also I did not do research on the era, so please forgive if you read odd things.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>

Detective Inspector Jack Robinson woke up in the middle of the night disoriented. He was no longer in his dream. He was standing in a dark room barefoot on the cold floor in sweaty pajamas beside the bed. His nightmare startled him so much he went from lying on his bed to standing by it, in one smooth jump surprising himself.</p><p>There was no one else to surprise. He lived alone since his divorce.<br/>
When his brain finally caught up with him, he let go of his alertness and with a heavy sigh he sat on the edge of the bed.</p><p>So much for sleeping. He better dress up and go to the station. It would not be the first time, it just hadn’t happen since a couple of weeks now. A few weeks of good sleep always got him false hope. But he knew the routine, nothing would work except drinking till oblivion or working till exhaustion.<br/>
Neither of those were compatible with a marriage. He often dreamt of a women cooking for him in his kitchen while crying with desperate sadness. It was not exactly Rosie, he never really made out the face of that woman in the dreams. His other dreams were of him killing people or being killed by them or by all sorts of killing machines.</p><p>Working it is. His whisky stock was down. His paperwork was never-ending, ever-growing.<br/>
He cleaned of the sweat of his trembling body with soap and cold water, dressed up to his usual grey three piece suit, fixed his hair with sticky pomade and drove to the police station.</p><p>That is when everything went from bad to worst.</p><p>---</p><p>At Melbourne City South Police Station in the small hours Detective Inspector Jack Robinson was trying to keep a straight face while questioning the key witnesses of the fighting that took place not long ago in one of the most exclusive night clubs in town.<br/>
It was of no surprise that the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher Lady Detective was also in that night club, doing god knows what. She was currently sitting next to him in the interrogation room, wearing an elegantly cut green dress clearly designed for a night out ending up in trouble, as it left so little for the imagination and not just because of its almost transparent fabric. </p><p>Jack already caught himself starring too much at her when they came in, now he tried his best to block her out. She was stirring uncomfortably in the chair and her breathing were full of little gasps which suggested that despite her statement of hardly being scratched, she was indeed hit on the ribs with the full blow of that wooden chair - thrown by a Mr. Talby - now locked up in pieces in the evidence room.<br/>
The reason she was able to get up from the floor before she was kicked on the spine as well was Mr. Paddington Feydman, the key witness in question, who incapacitated the Lady Detective’s attacker with terrifying expertise - Mr. Talby was taken unconscious into the hospital.<br/>
Mr. Feydman was sitting on the opposite side of the interview desk grinning. A tall, athletic, young and handsome man with spotless skin and short blonde hair messy from the evening that made him even more attractive. His blue eyes were shining when he flashed his cheeky smile on his interviewers, clearly enjoying being the dashing hero of the evening.</p><p>Jack eventually looked at Phryne in disbelief of her carelessness as his constable wrote down Mr. Feydman’s recollection of the events. Phryne had the decency not to challenge him by looking into his eyes and rolling hers on him.</p><p>“Was this the knife you saw Miss Fisher kicking out of Mr. Talby’s hands?”<br/>
A rather impressive knife, good enough to stab a pig. </p><p>“Yes, that is the same knife and oh lady, that was a perfect kick!”<br/>
Phryne was obviously enthralled by Mr. Feydman’s charm and the atmosphere of increased flirting between the two of them made Jack slightly uncomfortable.</p><p>“Mr. Feydman…” Jack pressed on, trying to get over with this interview as quickly as humanly possible.</p><p>“Really you should call me Paddy.”</p><p>“Mr. Feydman… how do you exactly ended up in that club? Your name is not on the register.</p><p>“Oh, I did not come through the front gate.”</p><p>“How did you exactly get in?”</p><p>“There was an open window at the back facing the alley. Look… I didn’t have any money on me… and it was absolutely your fault.<br/>
The accusation part was aimed directly at Miss Fisher.</p><p>“My fault?”</p><p>“Yes. I have heard you laugh.”</p><p>“My laugh?”</p><p>“I went looking for it. I saw you entering that club in that dress. But I only saw you from behind, I was not sure.”</p><p>“You broke into that club only to meet me? Isn’t it flattering?”</p><p>To Jack’s utter horror she was now grinning widely at ‘call me Paddy’ who was younger, taller, stronger than him, in fact he was painfully aware that 'Paddy' was exactly Miss Fisher’s type.</p><p>“You are getting it wrong. You are wearing high heels. I was checking you out in that dress but I did not realize the heels. You are exactly the same height in those. That laugh belongs to someone else. You have the same laugh and the same figure from behind. I mistook you for someone else. I wasn’t after to earn the rights to tap your ass.”</p><p>The silence that followed that statement hanged in the room like the mist in the port. Even the constable stopped scribbling.</p><p>“But you did not leave.” Phryne took it on herself to break the spell.</p><p>“I was already in, the music was good, the company splendid, I thought I have fun.”</p><p>“Without any money.” Jack felt the need to join in.</p><p>“I know how to get free drinks for myself. You see I was working in nightclubs before as an escort, dancer, I have seen enough to know what makes people tick.”</p><p>“Did you get your free drinks or you had to pick some pockets for that?”</p><p>“No! I told you I am a professional. Just ask the lady” of course he was referring to Phryne “she did buy me two rounds and I wasn’t half as nasty as she was.” He added with a wide grin that was mirrored on her face.</p><p>Jack took a deep breath and resisted the urge to shout. This time he did lock eyes with the Lady Detective and she did role her eyes on him. The tension hovering over the room got the constable drawing lines nervously in his notebook. Jack needed to switch back to Inspector and change the subject fast.</p><p>“This lady friend of yours with the laughter and with no high heels. Where is she?”</p><p>“Probably never left the ship.”</p><p>“You are docking at the port? What is the ship's name?”</p><p>“We are a research ship measuring ocean currents, the Gaya. We do not dock but anchor. I took some leave by boat to check the shore. I am part of the medical crew, my expertise are mental illnesses. Like I have said, I know what makes people tick.”</p><p>“We need to contact your captain.”</p><p>“Oh I would not… you see my leave was not exactly approved. I need to get back for my morning shift unnoticed.”</p><p>“You are not going anywhere. You are to be hold here for the night on charges breaking into a club, extracting money without license."</p><p>“That is not fair! I have saved everyone. And I was decent, I was only entertaining, they bought me drinks, I didn’t even tapped an ass.”</p><p>“I can bail you out.” Phryne’s voice was innocent like an angel, but her eyes were shinning with devilish light and now her grin was as close to filthy as it gets.</p><p>“No!” Jack realized that it came out too quick to come up with a good reason to follow his statement. The fact that Phryne was obviously enjoying the situation didn’t help him focus.<br/>
She was obviously bailing Mr. Feydman out and taking him home and Jack felt powerless to do anything about it.</p><p>“Let’s get the form, shall we?” She popped up from the chair, stopped a bit to adjust to the pain stabbing in her ribs and went on.</p><p>Mr. Feydman had the decency to wait until the Inspector gave his nod of approval before following her. Jack instructed his constable to lock up the evidence and went out to see how the events progress.<br/>
The constable at the front desk has found the form and were helping Miss Fisher to fill it out with Mr. Feydman peeking over their shoulders when a woman entered the station.</p><p>“Now that is the ass I would want to earn the rights to tap.”</p><p>And with that Mr. Feydman forgot about everyone else in the room and with feather light dance moves he approached the woman.<br/>
In a way she did look like Miss Fisher. She had the same body shape, same color of hair but much longer in a braid, same eyes, but her face was oval and even with wearing flat walking shoes she was taller than the Lady Detective on heels. She was wearing a blue trench coat with no hat despite of the fashion. She looked Mr. Feydman up and down with amusement.</p><p>“We just got ashore. How could you get already arrested?” Her voice was different too, softer and a bit more high-pitched.</p><p>“Believe it or not, I thought I was following you. So it wasn’t my fault. And I was helping people. Look, I made a friend.”</p><p>He waved over to Phryne who stood by the front desk uncharacteristically silent, starring at the woman. Jack stepped forward and took his place leaning against the desk next to the Lady Detective.</p><p>“I believe an introduction is in order. I am Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, this is the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher, Mr. Feydman is currently awaiting for a bail out, and you are?</p><p>“Jane. I am Miss Jane Felton.”</p><p>Jack felt Phryne’s hand gripping his and holding it firmly. The gesture was intimate, yet she took his hand so naturally. Before he realized he was pressing back softly. He checked her with a questioning glance, but she wasn’t looking at him, she was completely mesmerized by Miss Felton.</p><p>“How much to bail him out?”</p><p>The constable at the desk showed Miss Felton the form.</p><p>“Sorry Paddy, I don’t have that money.”</p><p>“But I insist.” Phryne finally snapped out of her trance, let go of Jack’s hand and stepped in front of Miss Felton.  “He came to my rescue, the least I can do is to return the favor.”</p><p>“Very kind of you. I am sure he does not deserve it.”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>“But I need a favor.” Phryne continued “I have to attend a gala at my aunt’s house on Friday. It is for charity and I insist you join me to the event. I have a feeling that Mr. Feydman’s presence would seriously improve the charitable mood. We need to put all effort on the good cause.”</p><p>“Sounds like a fair trade to me.” Mr. Feydman was on full charm again.</p><p>“The invitation is for both of you, you both must come.”</p><p>“What do you say Jane? Can we clear our schedule for Friday night?”</p><p>Miss Felton regarded Miss Fisher for a second.</p><p>“I believe we can.”</p><p>“Then it is decided. One more thing for the bailout, you must both provide your contact details. Are you staying on your ship?”</p><p>“Normally we stay on the ship. But the captain booked a small guest house just down the road. It is for the whole crew in case someone comes ashore. Here is the card for the guest house.”</p><p>Phryne took the card and passed it on to Jack. He knew the address, it was a moderate hotel regularly used by travelers and famous for its guest book of made-up untraceable names.<br/>
It took her a few minutes to finalize the details on both the invitation and the bailout then with Miss Felton and Mr. Feydman gone Phryne turned back to the desk.</p><p>“Jack…”</p><p>“What is it Miss Fisher?”</p><p>“You are coming too on Friday and bring Hugh as well.”</p><p>“We are on duty.”</p><p>“It would be official police business. I can take it up with the Commissioner if needed.”</p><p>Jack could sense that something was off. She took her by the arm and guided her to his office to give them some privacy away from the constable.</p><p>“Phryne what is wrong?”</p><p>“She looked like my mother Jack. Do you know what it means? She looks just the right age.”</p><p>Jack considered what she said for a few moments.</p><p>“You are not serious, aren’t you?”</p><p>Phryne shook her head.</p><p>“It’s nothing, I must be tired, I really should be going home now.”</p><p>“You might want to get your ribs checked as well.”</p><p>“Right, I should… Mac…I will stop by. See you at the gala!”	</p><p>And she left.<br/>
Jack stood there confused as to why she did not contradict him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne visits Mac.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dr. Elizabeth MacMillan was woken up in the middle of the night by the angry cursing of her neighbors. It took her some time to realize it was because of someone’s frantic knocking on her door. She only got to bed an hour ago from her night shift. Waking up felt like dragging herself naked on broken glass; it felt as if she didn’t had the chance to warm up the bed yet. She had no partner for a long period now to do that for her, and that did not improve her mood.</p><p>The moment she saw who was at her door trying to get her attention, and in what state that dear person was, her moodiness evaporated. She tried her best to be a caring friend.</p><p>“Phryne slow down! You are not making any sense.”</p><p>She was dressed for a hunt, a hunt for men, but Mac felt the effect on herself as well. Clearly she did not succeed, otherwise she would be banging elsewhere, not on her door.<br/>
Mac guided her into her kitchen. She didn’t made the fire when she got home, just crashed into the bed, and didn’t felt like making it now. They sat down on the chairs and she gave Phryne a blanket to wrap in.</p><p>“Here, take this.”</p><p>Mac always had cheap whisky to offer, of which she had a considerate supply, as nowadays she rather took it instead of water, or dinner or heating. Her already used glass was by the bed, she refilled it with a practiced motion of her wrist.</p><p>“I don’t think I should have another one today.” Phryne seemed genuinely lost which was rare, not new to Mac just rare “I need a clear mind.”</p><p>“You do look like you need it, beside it is already tomorrow.”</p><p>Mac raised her glass, they cheered and drank it down in one big gulp. There was a refill.</p><p>“For medicinal purposes, trust me.”</p><p>“I think I have met Janey today.”</p><p>“She shouldn’t be back from school yet, isn’t she?”</p><p>“No, I… I’ve meant my sister.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>Mac defiantly didn’t see that coming.</p><p>“You mean like a ghost?”</p><p>“She was flesh and blood, wearing a blue trench coat, had beautiful blue eyes, they were shining of ease and intelligence and she looked just like my mother. The shape of her face, her chin, even her ears. But she did not recognize me.”</p><p>“How about you start at the beginning?”</p><p>Phryne explained to Mac the events of her evening, the night club, the fight, the chair landing against her ribs, her escape thanks to the charming young Mr. Feydman, the interview at City South, the bail out and the appearance of Miss Felton.</p><p>“You saw a women called Jane who reminded you of your mother. That is not court evidence.”</p><p>“I have this feeling I cannot shake. Mr. Feydman, the escort, he mistook me for her. There is something more here Mac, I just can’t see it. I need your help.”</p><p>“All right. Did you talk to Jack?”</p><p>“Not yet, he will not reopen the case until I have clear evidence.”</p><p>“That is not what I meant.”</p><p>Phryne looked up with genuine interest. Mac sighed. She loved her friend, oh well even put her on a pedestal sometimes, she was truly extraordinary, yet sometimes an exceptionally stupid idiot.</p><p>“Foyle confessed and you found your sister with Jack’s help. He is a smart police officer and quite reasonable despite you know, being a man. It might be good to include him upfront.”</p><p>“I will talk to him once I have evidence. That is why I am here. You must come as well to the charity gala.”</p><p>“Uhm…  I am working you know…”</p><p>“There will be good whisky. Jack will come too, you can both sulk in the corner keeping each other sarcastic company just keep your eyes and ears open. We will have a perfectly splendid evening, raise tons of money and perform a thorough investigation on them both. I need all of you there, all your eyes and ears, Aunt P.’s too. I need to be sure."</p><p>It was clear for Mac that her friend was serious and determined yet shaken to the bones. She didn’t like to see her like that.</p><p>“I will be there, do not worry.”</p><p>“Thank you! I need this very much.”</p><p>“I think you need a good sleep and so do I. Now shut down your spinning brain and let’s talk tomorrow, I mean later today.”</p><p>Mac raised from her chair to escort Phryne out, but she stayed seated.</p><p>“Can I stay?”</p><p>Mac starred at her for a moment, she was a beauty, a marvel in this simple, functional kitchen sipping her cheap whisky. She also knew her too well.</p><p>“Of course, but you have to change that dress.”</p><p>“Whatever you have for me.” Phryne laughed in delight, it made Mac let go of her worries.</p><p>She had one spare pajamas left by a former lover a long time ago. She didn’t throw it out yet, but it was clean, it would do.</p><p>“I am not wearing that!” Phryne protested the scottish plaid pattern with disgust. Mac thought it might had been indeed too much for her.</p><p>“It is this or you can have one of my white shirts.”</p><p>Phryne smiled with a twinkle in her eyes.</p><p>“The shirt it is!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Charity gala at the Stanley residence.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The party was on full swing when Detective Inspector Jack Robinson arrived at the Stanley residence. He was detained at the station sending Constable Hugh Collins ahead. They were here on official business yet he changed his grey three piece suit to a black one wearing white shirt with a somewhat colorful tie. It was dark green with little bubbles of red and orange on it, reminded him of a field of wild flowers at night illuminated only by the moonlight. He wanted to look good in case he needed to present himself by Miss Fisher’s side not only as a police officer, in case he could take her for a dance – which he knew he wouldn’t dare anyway. As he passed the entrance he went to look for the densest crowd. He knew she would be there. The crowd seemed to be distributed equally throughout the garden, the ball room and the dining area.</p><p>“There you are!” Dr. MacMillan found him first.</p><p>“I see you have outdone yourself on the tie. You must be in high festive spirit.”</p><p>“Complements on the cravat Doctor.”</p><p>Mac was dressed in her usual man’s vest, jacket and trousers, but with a touch of ruby and blue on the cravat.<br/>
She was also balancing two tumblers in one hand and holding onto a full bottle of expensive whisky in the other.</p><p>“I am on duty.” Jack raised his eyebrow.</p><p>“Trust me, you will need this. This is not our typical choice of company for a Friday night.” </p><p>“I didn’t know we have a typical choice.” Jack took the tumbler now filled with delicious liquor and gave her a small lopsided smile.</p><p>“All in the line of duty!” He said and waited for Mac to fill hers.</p><p>“In the line of duty!” She raised hers and they both had a sip.</p><p>“This is really good.” Jack savored the taste. Took another langer sip and asked for a refill.</p><p>“I have put one bottle behind that vase” Mac began “You can collect it on your way out. Consider it as the compliments of the house.”</p><p>“Thank you, how considerate of you. Where is the lady of the gala?”</p><p>“Phryne must be in the dining room or back at dancing. Busy evening for her.”</p><p>“Did she seek out your council regarding her bruised ribcage?”</p><p>“Oh yes. I had a good look at them.”</p><p>“How is she?”</p><p>“She is going to overdo the arnica for a couple of days, but other than that she is fine.”</p><p>Jack hummed in agreement.</p><p>“Did you see my constable?”</p><p>“I think he is hiding from Mr. Feydman. It turned out he is not wasting his charms only on woman.”</p><p>“I see… what did I miss?”</p><p>“I don’t even know where to begin but first let’s eat.”</p><p>Mac took his arm and started to walk him towards the dining room when they spotted Constable Hugh Collins wandering the corridor in a somewhat agitated state of mind.</p><p>“Sir! Thank god you are here!”</p><p>“What is it Collins?”</p><p>“That man, Mr. Feydman, he made a comment on my …uh… body parts in front of Dotty… Miss Williams, and I…”</p><p>“He said Hugh has a delicious ass and Dot must be happy to have the rights to tap them.” Mac helped him out.</p><p>“At least now we can be certain what is Mr. Feydman’s favorite body part.” Jack offered to his constable who looked like he wanted to die of embarrassment. “After all we are here to collect information.”</p><p>“I wanted to arrest him for indecency Sir, but Miss Fisher forbid it, at least until the gala is over.”</p><p>“He is very good at it.” Mac explained “Aunt P. says Phryne and he already managed to charm out the double of last year’s amount from the charitable pockets.”</p><p>Jack didn’t like the mental image Mac’s comment left in his brain, he decided better to go and see it himself.<br/>

“And where would I find this charming couple tonight?”</p><p>“In the ballroom Sir.”</p><p>Jack turned to Mac.<br/>
“Are you coming?”</p><p>“I think I better stay with Hugh. We do have to make our rounds, don’t we constable? Let’s start with the dining room.”</p><p>Jack nodded, gave back his now empty tumbler and with determined steps left towards the dancing area.<br/>
It was not hard to spot them. He swallowed and shook his head. Phryne was wearing a red dress, same color as her lipstick, it covered her in an elegant way perfectly suitable for a charity gala, except it had an open back.<br/>
It made him want to slide his hand through that opening to feel her bruised ribs beneath, perfectly covered by the fabric. Only he knew – almost only - that they were there. It made him want to kiss those bruises.</p><p>Phryne stood as a moderator for the heated conversation between Miss Williams and Mr. Feydman at the side of the dancing area, next to the cocktail bar. Mr. Feydman was even more dashing as before, wearing a vest and jacket, which looked like part of a parade uniform, but Jack did not recognize the type. He managed to argue with Dot and flirt with Phryne at the same time, also it looked like the two ‘charmers of the evening’ were engaged in a drinking competition.<br/>
Mrs. Stanley was chatting with the group closest to the trio eyeing the dancers. The reason of her attention was Miss Felton swirling on a general’s arms. In her elegant blue dress, with her hair pinned she indeed looked a bit like Phryne. She was just as beautiful but unlike Miss Fisher, she had an aura of stillness and seriousness, someone who prefers to be left alone instead of being the center of the attention.</p><p>“Jack! You made it!”</p><p>Phryne was tipsy and gave him a smile so lovely it warmed him up more than that whisky of exceptionally good quality.<br/>
“You see, I have dressed to match your tie.” She played a bit with Jack’s tie pointing on the red spots.</p><p>“Inspector.”</p><p>“Miss Williams. Mr. Feydman.”</p><p>“Call me Paddy, remember?” Mr. Feydman instead of picking up a conversation with Jack turned back to Dotty.</p><p>“Just listen to me Dorothy. If you are not equipped with the right mindset, your marriage won’t last. The teachings of the church are outdated, they won't serve you that well in the modern era.”</p><p>“Come Jack, have one with me.”<br/>
Phryne practically dragged him to stand next to her and offered him a cocktail. He took it just to have something to grab instead of touching her bare back.</p><p>“Is he too much?” Miss Felton got back from dancing and joined them “I can have him removed, just let me know.”</p><p>“Oh Jane, just for once, take my side.”</p><p>“You must forgive him, he is clever but never had talent for morality. Probably has to do with being a child of a philosopher and a courtesan, it has an effect.”</p><p>“You are a hypocrite, you adored me as a child.”</p><p>“You grew up together? I thought you only met at work.” Phryne intrigued.</p><p>“I was a student of his dad.” Miss Felton explained.</p><p>“You promised me a dance.” Mr. Feydman turned to the lady in red “I think we have done our part very well, didn’t we?”</p><p>Phryne gave him a smile, turned around to put down her cocktail and whispered to Jack.<br/>
“Take her dancing, get what you can.” And she went off with Mr. Feydman for a swing.</p><p>Jack watched her bare back being circled by another man’s arm. It was not a welcomed sight, but at least they were investigating. It meant she was not on a hunt for men. Or maybe she was. She was good in multitasking.</p><p>“May I?”</p><p>Miss Felton finished her drink and regarded Jack for a second before put down her glass and took his hand. He led her back to the dance floor.<br/>
Her body felt different in his arms, he never danced with Phryne but there were times when he had to hold her. Jane Felton was taller, her waist was much higher against him. Her shoulders were softer, she probably didn’t spend her free time chasing down dangerous criminals bringing them to justice. She had a good feel for rhythm but was somewhat clumsy in her steps yet perfectly vivid and a very enjoyable dance partner. She smelled nice, floral, not as intoxicating as Phryne’s French perfume.<br/>
But her eyes were the same. Mirrors to a soul forged in pain and misery yet shinning with mischief. He needed to strike up a conversation to prevent himself drowning in those eyes.</p><p>“I must confess I do not dance as much nowadays as I used to.”</p><p>“You are actually very good, I haven’t stepped on your feet yet.”</p><p>Jack couldn’t help but smile. It was a good start, he felt comfortable to press on.<br/>
“This music brings back memories. I loved to dance when I was a child.”</p><p>“I can actually see you as a tall cheeky boy leading the ladies.”</p><p>Jack was grinning now and continued with the small talk.<br/>
“I have heard the gala was a success.”</p><p>“Yes, Paddy served his bailout money well. Also this estate has a kind, sweet atmosphere, almost like a warm cocoon of a childhood memory.”</p><p>“Did you grow up in a place like this?”</p><p>“No. I was… my childhood was very different. I do not remember most of it. Miss Fisher was interested in it very much, she said she was trying to figure out if our family trees are connected somehow. But I do not remember. The thing is... I lost my parents at an early age and I seemed to have blocked out the memories before and of the incident. Paddy says it is common for trauma at that age.”</p><p>“I am truly sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. I have heard you were in the war. You must have more trauma than I have.”</p><p>“I don’t think one can compare.”</p><p>“I bet you wish you could block out some of those memories.”</p><p>Jack stopped mid step.<br/>
“It would not do justice to them. I do not wish to forget. I wish it would have not happened.” He carefully continued the dance leading her partner. “Who gossiped about me anyway?</p><p>Miss Felton let out a small laugh.<br/>
“Miss Fisher is very fond of you.”</p><p>“I believe she also developed a liking for you.”</p><p>“She is very kind. Actually a lot of people here shares the sentiment towards me. I have found myself in a sweet fairy tale where everyone is interested in me and appraises me and I am surrounded by friends and family. It scares me immensely and I have found myself constantly checking the clock for the midnight bells. In case I have to run away with one glass slipper.”</p><p>It was Jack’s turn to laugh.<br/>
“Do you remember dancing as a child?” He asked in his sweet voice.</p><p>“No, but I have dreams where I am dancing and the ballroom looks just like this place and I feel as I am feeling now. Maybe I can predict the future?”</p><p>“Any dreams on footy games?”</p><p>“Hmm, you are funny. I like you.”</p><p>“I am not sure Mr. Feydman would like that.”</p><p>“I think he is currently too occupied to notice.”</p><p>Jack looked up to check on Phryne but she was nowhere to be seen. Nor Mr. Feydman.</p><p>“I must drop out” Miss felton stopped their dancing. “You see I made a friend tonight and I promised him some time before I leave. I think he came to collect me.<br/>
She gestured towards the ballroom entrance where Arthur Stanley was waving enthusiastically to her. Jack led her to him.</p><p>“Arthur is a true gentleman. I will leave you in good hands.”</p><p>“Thank you for the dance Inspector.”</p><p>“The pleasure was mine Miss Felton.”</p><p>Arthur was full of joy, he could barely contain his excitement.<br/>
“Come cousin Janey, play me my favorite song.”</p><p>Jack felt his stomach drop. This was very wrong. He needed to find Phryne immediately. He rushed off to search the estate.<br/>
What he found instead was Mrs. Stanley placing a long distant call to London. The line was so bad, she was shouting and repeating herself apparently with no luck.</p><p>“I do not have the time to wait! Tell her, it is Prudence and she must call me back! Oh for heavens! It is about her daughter!!! No, I cannot hold! Ah… the line cut off.”<br/>
“Inspector, how nice of you to join us! We are supposed to live in a modern era yet I always have better luck with the good old telegram.”</p><p>“Who were you calling Mrs. Stanley?”</p><p>“My sister in London. Margaret has to come and see her herself.”</p><p>Jack contemplated his answer. It felt like walking on quicksand.<br/>
“We have to be cautious Mrs. Stanley, there is so much at stake, we have to approach it with care.”</p><p>“But I remember her Inspector and so does Arthur. Why would Phryne bring her here? Can’t you see? This is a miracle!”</p><p>Jack swallowed his remark, just nodded politely.<br/>
This evening got out of hand now, it was in fact mad. He had to find Phryne and quick. To regroup, share information and decide on the next step. The only place left to look for her was the garden. It wouldn’t be hard to spot her in that ruby dress, besides he seemed to have been able to sense her presence even unseen.</p><p>Phryne was indeed in the garden accompanied by Mr. Feydman standing in the gazebo. She had a bottle of champagne in one hand and two glasses in the other. Jack was too far to hear what they were talking about but he was approaching to a scene far too intimate for his liking. They were both giggling and already looked utterly drunk.</p><p>When Mr. Feydman swung the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher around and got her in his arms for a kiss, Jack’s steps froze in the moist freshly cut grass.<br/>
She did not protest, did not kick him in the fork. Instead she put down the champagne and the glasses softly on the ledge and grabbed his ass, pressing him closer to her. Jack couldn’t move or look away. She was kissing with so much passion, his body ached with want from the sight of her. Moments passed and they were still at it. Her hands still on him and his hands gliding inside her dress through the opening on the back and up on her thigh through the cutout. The same way as Jack wanted to do since the moment he spotted her in the ballroom.<br/>
Suddenly he felt like throwing up and managed to close his eyes, turn around, open them again and walk away.</p><p>He remembered the whisky Mac hid behind the vase. Focusing on the quickest route to that vase he tried to get the hell out of there.<br/>
That is when he heard the piano from the salon. He looked through the open doors and what he saw reminded him of a painting of still life. Miss Felton was playing for Arthur at the grand piano while Mrs. Stanley watched them from the loveseat with tears of joy in her eyes.</p><p>They are a fraud, they must be. Jack tried to place the pieces of this mad evening together in his overheating brain. They are playing them like puppets on a string. They must be trying to get money out of Aunt P. and Phryne… oh Phryne… They are going to cause a lot of damage to these people he cared so much about. He has to find them out, dig deeper, eliminate all the smoke and mirror before it is too late.<br/>
Maybe it was already too late. They played it nicely and he would have never thought… How could this have happened so fast right under his nose? He knew he had to get back into action, make phone calls, get a background check.</p><p>He was a man with a plan.<br/>
And with a bottle of exclusive whisky in his hand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne and Paddy in the garden.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phryne enjoyed herself very much in the garden. Mr. Feydman was an excellent kisser. He used just the right amount of tongue, touched her body in just the right places, even remembered that the ribs are off limit. He smelled of hemp seed oil instead of soap and hair pomade, but tasted lovely of salty sweat and sweet cocktail. He was adorably tipsy and agreeable, just the way she preferred as she needed him to comply. After spending most of the evening small talking with Miss Felton, circling around her like a vulture around a kill, Phryne had questions to get answered, dots to connect. She was desperate.</p><p>Also Mr. Feydman was everything she hoped for an evening dalliance – so does almost every other red blooded women in that gala. The evening was a success and she was ready to take her prize.</p><p>If only he would smell of soap and hair pomade.</p><p>She dropped the campaign to embrace him and rubbed her core to his center. Through the layers of clothing she felt the delicious pressure of his hardening cock. She gasped in delight and that was when he moaned in her mouth.</p><p>“Janey…”</p><p>The moment he said it they froze. He quickly let go of her, she released his bottom and stepped back to look at him. A moment of heavy silence hanged between them.<br/>
“I am truly sorry.” He managed. “I guess it was not pleasant to hear that.”</p><p>“It is alright. Don’t be embarrassed.”</p><p>“I know it is not. I am truly sorry… I do want to. You are amazing.”</p><p>“Shh, stop. It is alright. You are in love with her.”</p><p>He sighed and gave a nod.<br/>
“I am all flirt and charm yet she holds my heart.”</p><p>“That is very good.”</p><p>“It was not supposed to happen you know. Me falling for her. We are so different and anyway I never wanted to love, not at least until I am 35.”</p><p>“I didn’t know it can be scheduled.”</p><p>“It’s just I see no point in being young and in love. Young hearts are careless little monsters, there is so much fun you miss out with them.”</p><p>“Like having a dalliance with me in the garden?”</p><p>“Precisely. I knew you would understand. Actually you are a bit like me.”</p><p>“Only a bit?”</p><p>“Even better than me.”</p><p>“Smart answer.”</p><p>Mr. Feydman’s embarrassment was gone now, he quickly switched back being a charmer, a happy, tipsy charmer.</p><p>“If you are not put out we can try again. I am a very good lover.”</p><p>He encircled his arms around her body with clear intent, bent down his head for a kiss.<br/>
Phryne watched the scene unfold with interest, she was grinning as she stopped him.</p><p>“I have a confession to make too. I was thinking of someone else as well.”</p><p>“You too, hah?” If Mr. Feydman was shocked, he didn’t show it. He found the whole situation amusing. “Oh, but you are a lucky bastard! He is into you. And what a nice ass! It is the Inspector, isn’t it?”</p><p>“Am I so obvious?”</p><p>They both laughed now, the evening had proven to be still salvagable.</p><p>“So why aren’t you fucking him?”</p><p>“Why aren’t you fucking her?”</p><p>They dared to stare at each other’s eyes. Mr. Feydman broke first. He let her go and stepped back to collect his thoughts.</p><p>“She won’t have me. She likes me, I can tell, but I am too much trouble. I am a male whore after all and I love it.”</p><p>“I share the sentiment.”</p><p>“Look at us. We could have every single person in that gala, just pick someone, smile and they are reduced to a helpless little bed toy. But the only two person who matters won’t have us. What are we doing wrong?”</p><p>“Maybe we are indeed too much trouble.”</p><p>“Well at least this is where you are worse than me. You are mad. Do you really think that Jane could be your long lost sister waltzing back from death? Take it from me, you are completely nuts.”</p><p>“What do you know about her that would rule her out?”</p><p>“She was never even in Australia before. I’ve known her since childhood. Her parents are dead and they were never fancy rich aristocrats. She grew up poor, uneducated, raw as a street urchin. She is so far away from your world. Why would you even pick on her?”</p><p>If Phryne got offended she did not show.<br/>
“I lost my sister when I was just a child. She was the dearest person to me. It had an impact on my whole life. She is never far from my mind. How did her parents die? Why can’t she remember?”</p><p>Mr. Feydman lost it now. He was pacing up and down the gazebo and his voice was shaking with anger.<br/>
“I mean no disrespect but I am not playing this! Not on Janey’s account. I am sorry for your sister, but you are a spoiled rich lady with a strange hobby. If you do her harm I will choke you. We can fuck. You will love it, I am a giver. But do not mess with her. You have no idea what she had been through. Was you sister… let’s see… kidnapped? Drugged? Cut open to bleed out slowly while being buried alive? Still conscious but unable to move or scream for help? Hah, I don’t think so… WHAT!?”</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack's day after at the station.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Detective Inspector Jack Robinson was nursing a massive headache at his desk at City South Police Station. It was late at night, he should have gone home hours ago. He just wanted to stay as far as possible from that whisky bottle. It was a miracle he lasted this long. Yesterday, or rather today in the small hours he went home with the bottle Mac had left for him behind the vase. His list of actions formed while he drank himself to sleep only to wake up two hours later, still drunk and headed down the station.</p><p>It was an uneventful morning. The cells were full but everybody were still sleeping off whatever caused them to end up there. Jack collected himself the best he could to place his phone calls and left instructions for the constable at the desk to place his telegrams. He then closed himself in his office trying to get some sleep in his chair, his head on his desk. After lunch it got better and the results of some of those phone calls and telegrams came in, with that he worked himself through his hangover. Focusing on the case defiantly helped.<br/>
When he wrapped up for the day his headache came back. He desperately needed to get some sleep. The cells were empty now but he locked himself in his office again and dosed off there. It could have been worst if the whisky was not of the best quality. When he woke up with his headache replaced by a neck pain, it was surprisingly quiet. The station was empty but the constable at the front desk eating his sandwich.</p><p>“Sir! I did not realize you were still here.”</p><p>“I just needed to sort out the new evidence” He wondered if he looks like he just woke up. A freshen up in the washing room was in order.</p><p>“Where are the others?”</p><p>“Doing the beat Sir. Should be back shortly.”</p><p>“Alright. Carry on.”</p><p>Jack left for the washing room. The cool water stung his skin but he welcomed the feeling. It felt like the life is coming back to his wretched body.<br/>
From the corner of his eyes he saw movement in the storage room. His brain despite of its state registered the tiniest unusualness in this familiar environment. It was his second home after all, but he was more at home here as his own home was mostly used for sleeping, changing, drinking or reading alone.<br/>
He went back to his office for his gun and signaled to the constable to guard the front door. Jack headed down the corridor with care, his neck pain was overtaken by the rush of adrenalin beating in his ears. The intruder was going through the archives. His bent down body over a small pile of files illuminated by a small lighter looked familiar. Jack sneaked upon him soundless like a ghost until he could press his gun to the back of his head.</p><p>“Hands in the air! Turn around, slowly!”</p><p>The intruder dropped the files, scattering them around the floor. With his lighter still on he turned hands up, as non-threatening as he could manage.<br/>
Jack wasn’t even surprised when Mr. Feydman looked down at the barrel of his gun.<br/>
A few minutes later they were sitting in the very same interrogation room in the very same chairs but this time without Miss Fisher. Jack offered him a cup of strong black tea. He took notes as he left the constable on guard at the entrance.</p><p>“This is a misunderstanding.” Mr. Feydman began while sipping his tea which he was holding in both hands handcuffed to each other.</p><p>“What were you doing in the police archive Mr. Feydman?”</p><p>“I was looking for the case files of Jane Fisher.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“To have all the facts!”</p><p>“And why would you need them?”</p><p>Mr. Feydman let out an impatient sigh.</p><p>“Phryne might be right… look…” He put down the cup and pushed it out of the way towards the edge of the desk. “I think you and I started off on the wrong foot.”<br/>
Jack gave him his iconic deadpan expression.<br/>
“But, if it all plays out nicely for us, we are getting the girls. You and I will become family. Just imagine the family gatherings with you there hating me. That just won’t work. Give me another chance. You will like me, I promise. I am a giver.”</p><p>Jack’s face remained deadpan.<br/>
Mr. Feydman felt like talking to a wall. A wall that can crush you like a bug.</p><p>“What makes you think that Miss Felton is Jane Fisher?”</p><p>“I have talked to Phryne in the garden and we compared the background stories. There are similarities.”</p><p>“I am surprised to hear that. From where I was standing it didn’t look like talking at all. Now tell me Mr. Feydman, what are you exactly playing at?”</p><p>Mr. Feydman regarded him for a second. Then he moved his handcuffed hands to pull back the teacup from the edge of the desk. He took a sip.</p><p>“You are jealous? You should not be. She would have rather picked you, she told me herself. And it wasn’t like that. We went down to the garden, she was very drunk and so did I.”</p><p>Jack hoped he won’t be such an idiot to tell him the details of his night with Phryne in his arms.</p><p>“I kissed her, and she was kind of agreeable first…“To Jack’s horror he just went on.. “Until I called her Janey in the kiss. They do look alike with only moonlight and too much champagne. Anyway she was very nice about it and she admitted she was thinking of You!”<br/>

He drank the tea and placed the empty cup between them on the desk.<br/>
“You are very lucky my friend. She is a hell of a woman and she wants you. No need to hold a grudge against me. I am in love with the other girl.”</p><p>To be honest Jack understood. He was affected as well by their similarities when he had ‘the other girl’ in his arms during their dance.</p><p>“And the object of my desire” Mr. Feydman went on “ does not return the sentiment. It drives me crazy. I cannot figure out why. But this” He pointed with his handcuffed hands towards the pile of case files “ might explain it. I need to know, it is driving me mad.”</p><p>“Maybe she simply prefers a more serious companion.”</p><p>“That is not fair. I am serious. Don’t give me that look! I am a giver, I don’t hurt people. She won’t sleep with me so I am getting it somewhere else, thinking of her. It is not ideal you know, makes me feel like I am a little shit. Phryne understood.”</p><p>“I am sure she did.”</p><p>“No, seriously, she wants you. Start fucking her real hard and she wouldn’t need to get it elsewhere. Why aren’t you fucking her anyway?”</p><p>Jack recognized the technique with which Mr. Feydman managed to turn the table on him. But his emotions were too raw, he couldn’t keep his thoughts at bay.<br/>
Why indeed? It’s not like he didn’t have a chance. But he was married and the officer of the law. Miss Fisher was new in town and very suspiciously up to no good. Rich people with skills like hers are usually up to no good. She could have invested her intellect in making, not solving crime. The reason why she choose the latter were not clear to him at first.<br/>
It took him to get knocked out, almost killed by Murdock Foyle and carrying her unconscious drugged body to understand.<br/>
He saluted her on her birthday party. It felt like a new beginning, he was a divorced man, she found her sister, Foyle hanged.</p><p>It’s not like he did not fantasize about her, but that was what it was, a nice distraction for the lonely hours. He had his chance, the offer of one gaudy night. She offered exactly what he wanted, freshly out of the divorce court, to feel being wanted again. He couldn’t act on it and thankfully she dropped the matter.<br/>
Since then he played with the idea, flirted with her more openly, imagining her being his lover, him in control. He also enjoyed solving crimes together. She always pushed him, never let a trail go cold.<br/>
When he realized he fell in love the fantasy dropped. The stakes being so high left him paralyzed. After all the horrible things has happened to the world, to him, there was still love in it. And with that the option for a careless affair went out of the window. From all the possibilities he could have had, he had to fell for a woman who had absolutely no need, no place in her life for his love to belong.<br/>
He tried to explain it to her, he thought she might understand… just understand. But she went straight to defense. He knew her well by then, knew why she was defending her way of life. In the end he quit their unofficial partnership. It was for the better.</p><p>Since she forced her way back into his life he was in confusion. It looked like she needed him. Him, not another policeman with less baggage. Or maybe she just wanted to stick to the devil she knew?<br/>
Sometimes it seemed she enjoyed his company not just for the crime solving, but then she went off with a lover. Other times it seemed she played him only to keep him in this strictly business relationship that suited her needs very well, but then she stood beside him and supported him like not even his family.<br/>
Could it be true? Could she fell for him against her better judgment? Jack found the thought so delicious it hurt. He felt hope and it was dreadful, a distraction he felt unable to control. He snapped back from his musing.</p><p>“Your situation with Miss Felton seems fascinating, I would highly appreciate if you would not project it on someone else.”</p><p>“Well I suppose you are right.” Mr. Feydman sounded just as miserable as Jack felt.<br/>
He tried to get on with the interrogation.</p><p>“What are those similarities you have collected with Miss Fisher?”</p><p>“Her memory loss is from about the same age Jane Fisher was killed. She freaks out in caves or in small dark rooms with smell of fresh soil. She has reoccurring nightmares of being kidnapped and buried alive. I know it is not much, but with the physical similarities it is something to look into.”<br/>

Mr. Feydman leaned back in the chair, rubbed his temple with the cold iron of the handcuffs.<br/>
“I just want to work this out with her. If that is the trauma that is keeping her away from me I need to find out. I would do anything to be with her. We fit so well together, I trust her with my life. I do not need your help or Phryne’s, just let me investigate. I want Janey to fuck me, we are already perfect together, that is the one thing missing.”</p><p>Jack leaned back too and with an unnoticable little sigh he got lost in his thoughts. Mr. Feydman had a point. If that is missing it can drive you mad.<br/>
He felt like that when he was young, then the world turned upside-down and he lost the feel. It should have not come back unexpectedly with thwarted love.<br/>
Was that really possible to love his Lady Detective in a proper carnal way and that would not throw everything into chaos but be the last piece falling into place? Oh how he wished that, to have her in his life as an eternal presence, as a routine that belongs only to him.</p><p>She would never be like that, it was not in her nature.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack goes home to rest, but he is not getting any.<br/>Also smut is surprisingly difficult to write – who would have thought? ;)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jack locked up Mr. Feydman in the cell who protested soundly but he had no patients for him now.<br/>
The Inspector grabbed all the files of the Foyle case and went home.</p><p>He made the fire in his cold flat. He had too much on his mind, no matter how tired he was, he knew sleep would not come. He contemplated why would Mr. Feydman wanted to see the files. He could have gotten everything from Miss Fisher and the Stanley household. Maybe Phryne was not so charmed after all and she was playing her own game as usual. He smiled thinking of her bright intellect, always one step ahead of him.<br/>
He put down his jacket, undid his tie, rolled up his sleeves, made himself a cup of strong black tea and sat down to review the case files again. Mr. Feydman could have needed to see the details to make their story look flawless. Provided they are aiming to cut a share from the title and the heritage. The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher was filthy rich after all.<br/>
His thoughts were interrupted by the knock on his front door. It was late at night, he wasn’t expecting anyone, especially not in these hours, but the visitor knocked instead of breaking in, it was a good sign.</p><p>When he opened the door he found himself eye to eye with the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher Lady Detective.</p><p>“Jack! Thank god, you are not sleeping yet.”</p><p>“Hmm…. please do come in.”</p><p>She was here, at his place and she looked gorgeous.</p><p>“To what do I own the pleasure?”</p><p>“I have called you at the station, they said you already went home. I’ve called you here, no one picked up. I went to the station to check again, your constable at the desk told me I’ve just missed you. So I came here.”</p><p>“You were speeding again.” Jack did the calculation while he took her coat.</p><p>“There is no traffic in these hours.”</p><p>She smiled at him, her smile was sweet and also tired. She looked unusually sad and alert like a prey animal.</p><p>“I am having tea. Would you like that or something stronger?” Jack offered.</p><p>“Tea would be fine. I overindulged myself as well yesterday.”</p><p>He brought her some tea while she sat down on his sofa.</p><p>“I like you flat. It is very you.”</p><p>“Flattery won’t get you anywhere.” He handed her the cup.</p><p>“Oh you know me so well.”</p><p>“I would only hope so.”</p><p>Jack sat down next to her holding his own cup. It was nice, her presence in his dour home somehow filled the place with lively energy. It felt like a different flat. It was very nice indeed.<br/>
They drank in silence.</p><p>“You must here me out Jack” She began.</p><p>“I am Miss Fisher.”</p><p>“We need to reopen the Foyle case.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>Jack put down his cup on the small table next to his sofa.</p><p>“They have got to you, didn’t they?” He asked his tone serious.</p><p>Phryne stood up and started pacing the room on the rug in front of him.</p><p>“I am not here to ask for your permission Jack.”</p><p>“Then why are you here?”</p><p>“You are very good at keeping away my shadows.”</p><p>“Phryne…”</p><p>She noticed the case files spread on his desk. She approached them and carefully started reading, turning them over.</p><p>“I have called this morning for approval to dig up the area.” Jack explained “It is not in my jurisdiction, but if it holds more secrets than Foyle’s goddesses, they will let us know.”</p><p>Phryne let out a sigh of relief as she turned to face him. She smiled, slightly shaking her head, her eyes full of tears of gratitude.</p><p>“I’ve managed to surprise you.” Jack’s comment came in a gentle voice. “That is a first Miss Fisher.”</p><p>Phryne approached to stand in front of him and bent down for a kiss. It was an innocent thank you kiss, normally placed on a person’s cheek showing your appreciation for whatever you are thanking that person. Except to Jack’s shock she placed it on his lips and it was sweet and short and light. But she used the tip of her tongue as well and he felt it, oh he felt it.</p><p>Why would she do that?</p><p>Jack’s brain left him without an answer and gave up on him completely. He snapped. He placed one arm around her waist to drag her on top of him, reaching out with his other hand for the back of her head to drive her down to a proper deep kiss, immediately asking entrance for his tongue. Phryne was eager to comply, she returned the kiss with equal passion and shifted in his lap so she could straddle him and press her body to his. The delicious pressure of his chest on her breasts and of his center against her sex made her gasping excitedly into their kiss.<br/>
It wasn’t enough, they both needed more surface pressed against each other. Jack started to roll them over, so he could have her under him on the sofa, but in their frantic kissing, rubbing and messing with each other’s clothes to get to bare skin, they ended up on the floor with him pressing her onto the rug.</p><p>He wanted to ask if it is alright for her to be fucked on his floor, the cheap rug barely cushioning her body from the cold and tough floor. But as he broke the kiss to ask he felt her warm palm on his hardening cock, completely missing out how her clever fingers got inside his trousers and smalls in the first place. His mind dropped all his thoughts. He mirrored her actions and slid his hand up between her thighs to feel her curls, her tender lips, to touch her clit under the lingerie. She was damp already and he could not resist to slide a finger inside her. He swallowed her moan with his kiss and inserted another finger.<br/>
He wanted to ask if it is safe, if she came prepared with her device in place. But when his fingers invaded her wet, hot cunt, her grip on his cock got harder, her moans in his mouth filthier. It got him reduced to the single want in his now fully hard cock to be swallowed by her hot, wet cunt. He retreated his fingers from her and with the same motion he pulled aside the underwear to give clear access to his invading manhood.</p><p>She did not stop him.<br/>
He entered her with a firm push. He had to stop, broke the kiss to moan and gasp for air. It was too intensive for both of them. He almost came with his first thrust and she was still adjusting to his heavy, fat, not so gently invading manhood, but she already trembled from ecstasy.<br/>
Jack moved first with long, deep thrusts as if he was trying to reach further, deeper inside her. It was too much. He needed to slow down, to last more, but his cock seemed to drag him by the balls and command him further and faster to be more inside her wet heat, to rub against her delicious walls.<br/>
He pinned her down to the floor with his heavy legs and demanding thrusts. Only his upper body supported on his elbows allowed her a little space for movement. Phryne did not mind as she clang onto his body with both arms like to a life vest in a torrent of wild sea. He dropped his head to her shoulder, unable to kiss her at this stage. He breathed his hot, filthy moans against her neck just under her earlobe.<br/>
When he felt her cunt clenching around his cock he was gone with a boyish cry followed by a soft bite on her neck as if he tried to get a grip on her with everything he could while he pulsed his seed inside her. His climax emptied him out completely. His hungry cock now content with fulfilled appetite released his senses and allowed his focus to return to the woman pressed between his cold floor and his sweaty, heavy body.<br/>
Phryne was still coming down from the last ripples of her climax with her eyes closed, her hair stuck in her eyelashes, lipstick smudged and her lips forming a little circle of ‘o’. Jack was mesmerized by the sight, taking the view in with hungry eyes. He was proud to be able to do this to her. To be the very reason of her disheveled state. A view that was only granted to those who were let inside her and made her come.</p><p>The moment he thought of this he got concerned. The other men…<br/>
Did he perform well? Was she disappointed in his stamina? He did not last long, but surly she won’t judge him from a single encounter. He was desperate for a feedback, any sign of a feedback.<br/>
Phryne opened her eyes and met his gaze, slowly adjusting to focus. She smiled and Jack let out a breath he did not realize he was holding. When she bent her head reaching for his lips he was eager to engage in the kiss as his softening cock slowly slipped out of her.</p><p>Jack could not believe his ears, he winced as his phone rang. It was ringing with ferocious power.<br/>
Phryne was the one who broke the kiss.</p><p>“Just get it, could be important.”</p><p>Jack huffed and collected himself up from on top of her, tucking away his manhood and went to pick up the persistently ringing phone.</p><p>“Robinson!” His voice was frustrated at first but quickly switched to professional tone.</p><p>Phryne heard the switch and understood they were on the hunt again. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but that could wait.</p><p>“It was the morgue.” He said as he hanged the phone. “They have found two bodies at the digging. They have released them to the morgue now. We are welcome to look at them.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne and Jack and the aftermath.<br/>A little more smut.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phryne stood on the cold corridor of the morgue resting the back of her head against the cooler glass of the white framed window. She felt exhausted and unable to move as the events of the day caught up with her.<br/>
Jack… her noble, reserved, dour partner in crime just fucked her senseless on the floor and she did not stop him. Not only that, she actually drove him into it. Her brain was fried the moment his fingers slid inside her. She never felt so lost to a man, so powerless. Well, not never… she felt once powerless and reduced to a numb puppet with René. She paid dearly for that and it never happened again. She knew it was an unfair comparison to Jack, yet she could not stop feeling unsettled.</p><p>She did not come with the intent to seduce him. She gave that up a long time ago for a want to be seduced by him. She sensed that he was not ready for it and to be honest she wasn’t ready just as well. Still it happened, she didn’t had her device with her and the thought to stop him didn’t even occur to her.<br/>
That is interesting… terrifying more like it. She never lost control since René. This new development between her and Jack had a terrifying prospect.</p><p>From where she was leaning against the cool window she saw Jack’s tall figure deep in conversation with his constables. By the occasional looks he threw at her it was clear that he registered her contemplative state of mind, but didn’t wish to intrude and for that Phryne was grateful. She needed to be the strong feminine detective, not reduced to an emotional puddle of existential crisis.</p><p>I need to get home, have a very hot bath, wash his seed out of me.</p><p>She sighed.<br/>
The memory of him pulsing inside her flooded her mind and she felt her body ache for him, the wetness forming between her thighs.<br/>
She sighed again.</p><p>Damn him. I need to take that bath.</p><p>She turned her head to catch his eyes and signaled him that she is going home.</p><p>“Can I give you a lift?” Jack asked which was rather stupid as they both came with their own cars.</p><p>He was worried. Phryne smiled and shook her head.</p><p>“Call me when you get home.” He tried again.</p><p>“I will probably be home earlier.”</p><p>“True…” He was too tense to attempt a remark on her driving skills.</p><p>“Jack, you know they won’t let us continue.” </p><p>“What?” He looked stunned now.</p><p>“The bodies. Not Foyle’s repertoire, not your jurisdiction. They will take the case from you.”</p><p>Jack blinked a few and shook his head, forcing himself to focus. Phryne was right. They were the remains of adult men, defiantly not little girls. But at first glance they might have been killed around the same time when Foyle operated. Jack wasn’t ready to rule out any connection yet.</p><p>“We will know when we get the results. Until then I am keeping the case.”</p><p>“Will you bring the report to me?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Later then.”</p><p>Jack nodded and watched her leave the building.</p><p>---</p><p>Phryne relaxed into the heavenly effects of the hot bath with lavender salt. She cleaned her cunt with vinegar water before sinking into the steaming hot water. It was a bit unpleasant first, but soon she felt the tension leaving her body completely.<br/>
Her thoughts were back on Jack. They should have talked about what will happen next. What they are from now. He must have understood by now that she is not exactly good wife material.<br/>
Will he overpower her in other aspects of their relationship? No, he won’t do that. He is the dropping out type, the hiding to himself kind of person. He will rather lose her than force her to change.<br/>
No, Jack is not the issue here. It was her losing control over him.</p><p>This will not do, I have to top up my game. How would I do that when I already feel hungry for him?</p><p>She touched her clit, recalling the way Jack touched it only a few hours ago. She inserted one finger inside herself just as she remembered he did, but it wasn’t enough. She thought about his mouth. Would he be interested to pleasure her with his beautiful lips?<br/>
She indulged herself in the fantasy and with the sigh of his name she came. She remembered his boyish cry of release and touched her neck where he bit her just below the earlobe. It was a soft bite, did not even left a mark on her tender skin.<br/>
She wanted to feel more of him and soon, very soon.</p><p>---</p><p>Jack tossed his keys on his table at home and immediately poured himself a drink from the remains of the expensive whisky. He stood in his room eyeing the rug in front of his sofa still rumpled from their lovemaking.</p><p>Or rather fucking.</p><p>He drank his drink in one shot and poured another one.<br/>
She did not let him drive her to the morgue or home. She did not invite him up for a nightcap or seduced him or flirted with him or came home with him. Of course she had her own car… but she could have got it in the morning. Of course they were both exhausted and truly in need of a good undisturbed sleep.</p><p>Of course.</p><p>He drank the second shot and poured a third one.<br/>
She must have been disappointed. After all those months, all those flirting, filthy promises in their eyes he lasted for what, a minute? Oh, he only wished, it wasn’t even a full minute.<br/>
And he fucked her on the floor, great. It must have been uncomfortable to her – although she did not complain. He recalled her moans of pleasure and her face in the last ripples of climax. No, she liked it. It was short but intense.</p><p>This time he only took a sip of the amber liquor. It already went to his head and calmed down his nerves a little. He sat down on the sofa exactly the same spot where he took her in his arms and kissed her not long ago.<br/>
He knew he overstepped. Phryne was clearly emotionally disturbed. She came to him for the comfort of a friend and for his professional help as a police officer. And he just fucked her like… like… well, fucked her hard.<br/>
Mr. Feydman used those exact words. Those words fueled his desire and at the first chance he got he acted on them. Jack knew it was not fair to blame him, although the effect on his actions was undeniable.</p><p>It was glorious. That woman… he felt so alive inside her. </p><p>Jack took another sip and with the other hand he reached down to touch the rug that witnessed their passionate encounter. The memory made him dizzy. He pinched the bridge of his nose to get back the blood to his brain from his alcohol induced aroused body and that is when he smelled her essence still lingering on his fingers.</p><p>This will not do. I need to taste her again, lick her wetness from her core, make love to her in a warm, comfortable bed for hours, until she is so incoherent couldn’t even say my name.</p><p>His cock got hard in approval with his plan. He finished his drink, put down the glass, inhaled her aroma from his fingers again and with his other hand he helped himself to a release.<br/>
He fell asleep with a peaceful smile on his face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack spends the night at Wardlow.<br/>Still on smut.<br/>This chapter is a bit longer. I could not divide it, it had to be one unit.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The report on the bodies from the morgue came in the late afternoon. It was Detective Inspector Jack Robinson’s day off, but no one thought it odd him being in on his day off anymore. It was usual. He came in before lunch, finally having a bit of sleep in the morning hours.<br/>
He arrived just in time to cancel Mr. Feydman’s bail out request. He was a recidivist, Jack explained to his constables, it was his second break in within a week. No bail out.<br/>
Mr. Feydman got permission for a phone call to reach Miss Felton at the guesthouse, but she wasn’t in, so he left her a message that he would be cooling his heels in the cells that day.</p><p>Jack closed his door and went through the report on the bodies. They were both males, 30-35 year olds, shot with multiple shots. There were more bullet marks on their bodies than bullets found indicating they were shot elsewhere and buried there later. Dr. MacMillan noted the remains of their clothing as the interesting part. The fabric was unusual and the buttons and the shoes indicated a uniform. One of the buttons had a crest-like shape on it. He didn’t quite saw that in it, kept starring for a while with magnifier. It was time to include Miss Fisher.</p><p>He grabbed the report and the button, checked himself in the mirror and headed down to Wardlow.</p><p>“Good evening Inspector!”</p><p>“Mr. Butler.”</p><p>Jack didn’t think about it. If he wanted to make love to the lady of the house at her home that would mean to scandalize himself in front of her staff. Thankfully Collins took Miss Williams out to the pictures and they would probably have a long walk after and Mr. Butler was the master of discretion.</p><p>“Miss Fisher would be down shortly. Please be seated in the parlour.”</p><p>Mr. Butler brought drinks and sandwiches for the Inspector.</p><p>“If that would be all I have an appointment to keep. If you need anything I have left another tray of sandwiches in the kitchen and cocktails for Miss Fisher.”</p><p>“Thank you Mr. Butler.”</p><p>Suddenly Jack’s evening began to settle in. He felt a bit nervous and with Mr. Butler gone and Phryne not yet ready he started to devour the sandwiched alone. At one point he thought he should go upstairs and check on her. Maybe she is waiting for him naked on her bed. He was eyeing the stairs already when his brain caught up with him. He wanted to do this right this time. To be a proper gentleman… well, not so proper…<br/>
He decided he would check on those other sandwiches instead in the kitchen for now. He was about to sit down next to the tray when he heard Phryne galloping down the stairs and calling for him in a cheerful voice that made him smile.</p><p>“Miss Fisher.”</p><p>“Jack! You are here, how delightful! Really you should call me Phryne.”</p><p>She was already flirting with him, that was good, so she wasn’t embarrassed with him.</p><p>In fact Phryne was just as eager to bed him. She was fresh from her bath, her device in place, armed with her French perfume, no underwear and in a stunning, quite easy to take off dress which design did not leave much to the imagination.<br/>
Jack decided to sit down, not to embarrass himself.</p><p>“The report came from the morgue” He managed. “And there is a button I need your opinion on.”</p><p>He had the file and the evidence on the kitchen table. Phryne bent down to grab them then stood in front of him with a flirtatious smile. After a few moments she dropped her focus on the report. Jack was still luxuriating in the sight of her.</p><p>“So this button is our only lead on the identification?” She asked after running through the lines.</p><p>Jack’s mind was somewhere else. He could just kiss her, take her upstairs. But no, he should be invited, this time it should be a proper lovemaking… He could surely warm things up by pleasuring her with his mouth. She would not object to that, would she?<br/>
As if she could read his thoughts Phryne decided to jump up and sit on the countertop. Her dress slipped up to show her perfect pale legs and as she crossed them Jack’s brain registered she was not wearing any underwear. </p><p>He stood up immediately and closed the gap between their bodies. Phryne expected her movements to have an effect on him, but she let out a surprised gaps as he didn’t waste any time on seduction just parted her legs and buried his face into her curls.<br/>
That answered her question. He was clearly interested in it and clearly it wasn’t his first time doing that to a woman.<br/>
The man was a marvel. He was kissing and sucking her lips tenderly, nudging her clit with his nose, then slid his tongue inside her, started to lick and circle. Phryne dropped everything from her hands and grabbed the countertop’s edge, arched back her head as she came with a loud cry. Jack grabbed her thigh with one hand to steady her and placed a leg up on his shoulder and held her there. He wasn’t finished yet. He went on to lick and gently suck on her clit to work her to another climax.<br/>
It was easy, soon she was trembling again.</p><p>“Oh fuck” This time she came with a soft sigh, opened her eyes and bent down her head to look at him.</p><p>She grabbed him by the hair and made him stand up to meet her for a kiss. They were both panting, Phryne from coming down from her climax, Jack from his activities. She got off from the desk, gently turned them around, pinned him to the edge of the countertop and she dropped to her knees in front of him. His hard cock already strained his trousers, practically begged to be freed. She quickly did so and Jack was in for a treat.<br/>
He looked down and saw his cock being swallowed by her mouth. She was massaging his balls with her hand while looking at him with eyes shining like two rare precious gemstones. It went to his brain right away. </p><p>“Phryne… please.”</p><p>Jack already felt his release building, losing control. It wasn’t the first time a woman pleasured him with her mouth. He had some experience back in France, too drank to tell the working women apart. He imagined his wife’s lips on him anyway. He almost never came like that, he was too damaged back there, always too drunk. But he went back for more with his mates, despite of the shame it brought.<br/>
Back from the war at first his wife was welcoming and trying and never refused him, even when he wasn’t really himself. But his seed was always used for making babies. And even that failed. But this…</p><p>“Please… stop.” He tried to warn her, but she took it as a sign to double her effort. She was clearly interested in having him climax in her mouth.</p><p>He came hard with that boyish cry, hitting the cupboard above with the back of his head. And she gently drank him down, tucked him back into his trousers. When she stood up he wrapped his arms around her to pull into a kiss. Their kisses were sweet and salty from their combined juices.</p><p>“Oh my god.” Jack managed when they parted. “It was…”</p><p>It was huge for him and Phryne was grinning proudly watching him with interest.</p><p>“Are you hungry?” She asked. “Let’s see what Mr. B. left for us.”</p><p>She went for the tray, but Jack swinged her back into his arms.</p><p>“Actually I have found myself hungry for something else.”</p><p>“But we have to discuss the case and we don’t want your stomach to grumble all the way.”</p><p>Jack kissed her hair and whispered to her ear.</p><p>“My stomach will behave, I promise.”</p><p>He dropped his head to devour her neck with light kisses. She sighed and gave in to the sensation with her eyes closed, let him work her body again. He bent down to suck on a nipple through the thin fabric of her dress and got his hand between her thighs to press his thumb on her clit. She was wet again or still and welcomed his finger with a load moan.</p><p>This is what he came for. To make her realize if she want to be worshipped, she should come to him, always and only to him. He knew it was a bit ambitious, but right now, surrounded by her scent, feeling her skin and velvet under his touch, hearing her filthy moans and gasps of joy, he felt on top of his game.</p><p>“Jack… Jack…let me eat.”</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>“Alright.”<br/>
He needed time to be ready again anyway. Still holding her by the waist he waited until she collected the report and the button from where they landed. He moved them to sit next to the table, her on his lap.</p><p>“You can eat now.” He added with a smug smile.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to have one?”</p><p>“After you. I don’t want you to steel it from me.”</p><p>“Spoilsport.” </p><p>It was lovely. With her sitting on his lap Jack could touch her, breath small kisses in her hair. Eventually Phryne found it difficult to eat while his hands were cupping her breasts. She stood up and moved to sit on the chair opposite and started to examine the button.<br/>
Jack sighed in defeat and reached for a sandwich.</p><p>“It looks familiar. Where you able to identify the shape on it?”</p><p>“I was hoping you would.”</p><p>“Well, well, I am glad you finally realized if you come to me you are coming just to the right place.”</p><p>To Jack’s questioning look she added.</p><p>“Paddy had identical buttons on his vest at the gala. I am sure of it.”</p><p>Jack didn’t know one can develop an itching reaction to a certain nickname.</p><p>“Did you look at them after or before you were kissing him in the garden?”</p><p>The moment he said it he regretted it.<br/>
Phryne looked taken aback and let out a disappointed huff.</p><p>“We can interview Mr. Feydman easily as he is currently spending the night behind bars at my station.” Jack added.</p><p>Phryne’ eyes went wide in her stare. To her horror Jack stood up as if he was ready to leave. He was uncomfortable she could tell. It was worrying. How can such a promising evening turn into a disaster in five seconds? She realized they were here before. He, instead of being clear about his emotions went on disapproving of her methods or taste in men. She always stood her ground and made him retreat. Once he even cut her out of his life. This will not do.<br/>
She stood up as well and went to him, stepping so close their noses almost touched. </p><p>“Come to bed Jack. Enough of this case for today.”</p><p>It was a risky move, she wasn’t sure if she would recover if he refused. But she could do only defense or seduction. She already tried both on him and for a long time neither had the desired effect. But this new Jack looked willing to be seduced.<br/>
Jack felt the blood drumming in his ears. The woman in front of him looked at him with so much want in her eyes. It was a heady feeling. So precious and rare to want and to be wanted at the same time. He reached out to her face to stroke a loose hair in place, then he bent down to breath a kiss on her neck.<br/>
It was a good start. Phryne took his hand and started to drag him upstairs. He complied. Jack needed her to forget that young, liberal minded, charming, handsome man and focus only on him.</p><p>They stumbled up the stairs in a mess of touches and kisses. Each of them wanted to be in charge then letting the other one lead for a while only to claim back control. When they reached the bedroom and closed the door Phryne pressed Jack to it by the back and started to unbutton his shirt, kissing her way down with each popped button. His jacket and vest was already on the floor, his tie left somewhere on the stairs. When she finished, she stepped back to observe his naked chest for the first time. He was panting heavily and immediately got her back to his arms, desperate for more contact.</p><p>“I want you in my bed Jack.” She was panting just as heavy now. “Be gentle.”</p><p>Jack let her guide him to her bed. They parted to undress. He had more layers to shred but they came off more easily by his hurried pushes than her delicate dress from the curves of her body.<br/>
Phryne now completely naked spread across her bed watching him as he stood by her like a naked god, no blushing, stroking his hardening cock into action. He climbed on top of her, kissing his way up from her toes, through her still bruised ribs to her lips, his cock leaving small beads of arousal fluid along her thighs before she spread them apart for him to nestle between and align himself to her center.<br/>
It wasn’t hurried like their first time. He glided inside her slowly, losing himself in the sensation. Her cunt was ready for him, wet and relaxed and oversensitive from their activities before. He fucked her gently yet she was lost in him within seconds. He felt the squeeze of her cunt around his cock. She tried to lock him in place while trembling beneath.</p><p>“Keep it right there.” She panted. “On that spot. Don't move just twitch.”</p><p>He did so and watched the scene unfold in his arms with interest. Apparently he didn’t have to move just keep himself hard and pressed to her walls and she was beside herself. Jack was no stranger bringing pleasure to a woman, but this…<br/>
They fit so well together despite her being so small against his tall frame. It was a new and satisfying sensation.<br/>
He watched her peak and climb back and peak again before he decided to join in. He slid his cock out almost completely then thrust back inside a bit to firmly, but she was too far gone to complain. He sped up his thrusts and after only a few he released his seed, trying his best no to collapse his full weight on top of her.<br/>
She was so small in his arms, so soft and her wet heat so lovely. He inhaled her scent, his face nestled against her hair and as his softening cock slipped out of her he dozed off.</p><p>---</p><p>Jack woke up a few hours later stretched out in the middle of the bed like a starfish on the seafloor, content and relaxed. Somehow he got under the covers but he suspected that was rather Phryne’s doing. Phryne... She was not in the bed with him. It was still dark, he rubbed his eyes forcing them to wake up and adjust.<br/>
Phryne woke up a bit earlier and just returned from the bathroom after cleaning herself up. She was completely naked, walking softly like a cat, carrying a glass of clear water. When she noticed he was awake she broke into a wide grin.</p><p>“Here, drink this.” She handed the glass to him.</p><p>Jack popped up on one elbow and complied while Phryne climbed onto the bed and sat on her heels beside him. When he put down the glass she bent to him for a kiss. When she finished she sat back and continued grinning. Jack started to stoke her naked body with lazy strokes, his thoughts invading his awakening brain.</p><p>“We are getting better at this, aren’t we?” He asked still on one elbow, cupping her breast with his other hand. </p><p>That is not what he wanted to ask. Phryne closed her eyes and her grin softened to a smile. She understood his question.</p><p>“You are indeed good at this Jack. You keep surprising me each time topping what I thought cannot be topped.”</p><p>Jack laughed at the answer as he let go of her and popped back to his back. Still, he felt rather proud of himself. Phryne got under the covers, cuddled to his side, her head on his chest.</p><p>“Do I need to constantly praise your abilities?” She asked playing with the line of hair in the middle of his chest.</p><p>“Oh is it bad that I like to hear it?”</p><p>“You do trust me, don’t you?”</p><p>Jack took his time with the answer. In fact his mind was racing to find the right words.</p><p>“I am madly in love with you, you know that?” Came the reply with a serious voice.</p><p>“That is not what I’ve asked.”</p><p>That was not the reaction Jack was hoping for.</p><p>“What was it that you were asking?” He managed.</p><p>“I’ve asked Jack if you trust me.”</p><p>“Phryne…” He sighed and cuddled her closer to his body “I have accepted you as you are and I love you. You don’t need to promise me anything.”</p><p>“Does that mean that you don't trust me?”</p><p>“No, that is not what I’ve meant.”</p><p>Phryne removed herself from his cuddle, only to pull down the covers and straddle him.</p><p>“Then what did you mean?”</p><p>“That is a very distracting position for a serious conversation.”</p><p>“No Jack, you are not getting away with this.”</p><p>“Phryne please…” He marveled how easily she turned the table on them.</p><p>“You can’t say that you love me, that does not mean anything to me from a man.”</p><p>“I meant it when I said it.”</p><p>“If you don’t trust me, those are just empty words.”</p><p>To Jack’s utter horror she started to rub herself to his center. His cock responded immediately. He emptied himself already twice since he brought the files, he proudly registered he still had it in him.</p><p>“Are you afraid I will leave you for another lover?”</p><p>“I… oh…. would understand.”</p><p>“Liar.”</p><p>She took his cock in her hand started to stroke it gently and continued rubbing herself to him.</p><p>“I will… fuck… but won’t be happy about it.”</p><p>“Why do you think I will need another lover?”</p><p>“You are… afraid… no! Don’t stop!... Yes… afraid of me.”</p><p>Phryne needed to adjust to what she heard. Jack took it as a chance to have a saying in this interrogation. He reached out to circle her clit with his fingers and to cup her breast. It took her out of her musing.</p><p>“Why would I be afraid of you?” She asked as she started to ride his fingers.</p><p>Jack could not answer right away because she circled her wrist around the tip of his cock in a way that made his hips jump up.</p><p>“You are afraid to love me.”</p><p>Phryne stopped her movements both on his cock and against his fingers.</p><p>“Is that why you don’t trust me?”</p><p>Jack decided he had enough of this. His cock was completely hard now and Phryne was practically dripping onto his center and his fingers. He grabbed her and turned them over so she would land flat on her back and he settled between her legs. He needed to adjust himself before he glided inside her.<br/>
She did not stop him.<br/>
She did not need to, he stopped himself.</p><p>“Phryne I trust you, but you do have an appetite for variety.”</p><p>It did not came out right, he knew he accused her instead of being honest. Again she answered to his meaning between the lines.</p><p>“If you are jealous that is about you not trusting yourself, I have nothing to do with that.”</p><p>Jack started to feel sick. It was ridiculous. He was inside her fully hard and yet wanted to retreat.<br/>
No, he will ride it out, chase them both to a release. Then leave. That is what he is going to do.<br/>
He started thrusting with long hard thrust searching for that delicious point he had found inside her not long ago that made her tremble for so long.<br/>
Or better turn her over on her stomach. That angle always made the woman climax more intense from his hard thrusts.<br/>
So he did and he was right.<br/>
As he was slapping his hips to her round bottom she began to shake violently, biting and grapping into the bed sheet and the pillow. She popped up on her elbows and held her head up high as she came. The ripples of her climax dragged his release with her.</p><p>His boyish cry… Phryne was already addicted to it.<br/>
Jack collapsed on top of her and stayed there locking her to the bed until he could catch his breath again. He rolled onto his back, reached out for her and pulled her body as close as he could manage in their post coital state.</p><p>He had no intention to leave. Fucking Phryne Fisher was something he was willing to fight for even with himself.</p><p>---</p><p>The phone call came in the small hours.<br/>
It's persistent ringing was followed by Mr. Butler’s polite knock on the bedroom’s door.</p><p>“It is the station for the Inspector, Miss.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our detective duo investigates a murder - after all it is murder mystery.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hugh walked Dot home in a sensible hour. They both noticed the Inspector’s coat and fedora hanging in the hallway and the tray of half eaten sandwiches and half drank cocktails in the kitchen. The chairs were left in a mess and Hugh recognized the autopsy report on the table.<br/>He gave his sweetheart a goodbye kiss and quickly retreated explaining that he had to get ready for his night shift.</p><p>Later Dot noticed the gentleman’s tie dropped on the stairs. The house was quiet and she didn’t recognize the tie, but it was not hard to put the clues together. She sat down in shock on the stairs, afraid to attempt to go up to her room, terrified of running into them. She waited for Mr. Butler to come home. He would know what to do.<br/>Mr. Butler took charge of the situation with professional ease, but couldn’t hide the genuine smile on his face as Dot showed him where she has found the tie. It was not his place to judge or even to form an opinion, but he was very fond of the Inspector and welcomed the turn of events. He managed to calm down Dot to a point when she braved the stairs and retreated to her room. </p><p>The phone call in the small hours came from Hugh. After he tried to reach the Inspector at his home but no one picked up, he risked it. It was important, could not wait until the morning. He grabbed the phone at the front desk with shaking hands and asked for Wardlow. Mr. Butler picked up the phone.</p><p>“Miss Fisher’s residence.” </p><p>“Uh, its Constable Collins from City South Police Station” he said it like a mantra then added almost whispering “is the Inspector there?”</p><p>“I believe he is. Do you want me to call him down?”</p><p>“Oh no!” Hugh definitely didn’t want to talk to his boss just after he woke up from the bed of… well… “Please let him know to come as soon as he can. Mr. Feydman escaped from his cell, he disappeared.”</p><p>Mr. Butler ensured him that the Inspector would be shortly on his way. </p><p>Jack was wrapped in Phryne under the warm covers when his brain registered the words spoken by Mr. Butler behind the closed bedroom door. To Jack’s surprise Phryne did not wake. He carefully got up, pulled the covers back on her and started to dress up. It was still dark, but he was able to find every piece of his clothing except the tie. Oh well…<br/>He went back to the bed and kissed Phryne goodbye. She murmured something but still didn’t wake. <br/>Jack couldn’t help but smile. Only when he realized what he was doing his smile dropped. He used to kiss his wife like that leaving their marital bed to rush off when duty called. He found himself wishing for that warm cocoon of attachment but quickly shook it away.</p><p>He run down the stairs where Mr. Butler waited for him with his tie in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Jack arranged his tie and while he was sipping coffee Mr. Butler helped him into his coat. He took the empty cup from the Inspector and handed over the autopsy report. While Jack grabbed his fedora the butler opened the door for him.<br/>Jack stepped out but before rushing off, he turned back for a moment and the two man grinned at each other.</p><p> </p><p>The second call came later in the morning. Phryne just finished her breakfast and was talking to Dot who was unusually shy compared to herself and most of the time looked at her shoes.</p><p>“It is the Inspector for you Miss” Mr. Butler announced the caller. “There was a murder. He inquired if you could join in at this address.”</p><p>---</p><p>Detective Inspector Jack Robinson watched as the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher walked to the house from her neatly parked Hispano-Suiza. She was immaculately dressed, her makeup and lipstick in place, ready for professional business. Nothing on her gave out a clue that not long ago he was inside her. On the other hand he only got a catlike wash at the station and was able to change his shirt, shave and fix his hair with pomade. He wondered if the others could smell her perfume on him. He also wondered if he could keep his hands off her now that he was allowed to touch, to claim. Especially at work, to focus only on the crime scene with her so close to him. He guessed now he has a chance to find out.<br/>Phryne crossed the small front garden, gave a wink to the blushing Hugh and stepped inside the house while Jack held the door for her. The ground floor had two rooms on the left. A parlour and a dining room with adjoining kitchen at the back. On the right a dark wooden staircase leaded upstairs, the wall decorated with a rather impressive collection of guns, pistols, everything that could fire a bullet. There were firearms in all the vitrines on the ground floor as well. </p><p>“It must be a full time occupation to keep all these weapons clean. Is this how our victim was killed, shot by one of his own guns?”</p><p>“Patience Miss Fisher, patience.”</p><p>Jack guided her upstairs. There were there rooms on this floor, a bedroom, a guest bedroom and a study. The constable guarding the crime scene let them inside the study. The room had an intellectual atmosphere with its cabinets full of books by the wall, a large oak table and comfortable leather cover chair in the middle and rectangular framed double window facing the back garden. It was rather nice except the dead man’s body lying on the floor in front of the table, its face partially disfigured, beaten by a heavy object, the carpet soaked in blood beneath.</p><p>“General Robert Clam, age 56. Found at 10 o’clock this morning by the housekeeper Mrs. Woods. Both the door and the window were open.” Jack introduced the facts as Phryne put down her bag and started to work the room.</p><p>She bent down to inspect the body and the consistency and smell of the blood. She went through the items on the table. General Clam was interrupted mid cleaning, the parts of his mauser pistol were surrounded by the cleaning equipment. Then she inspected the cabinets.</p><p>“Look at that Jack.”</p><p>Phryne pointed to a place on the self with no dust.</p><p>“That could belong to a statue or a paperweight. It could be our murder weapon.”</p><p>“We found this in the garden.” Jack motioned towards the constable at the door to hand over a fist sized rock. “It is not valuable but quite rich in minerals, the purple part is apparently amethyst. The shape matches the dust mark on the self and it is our first candidate for the murder weapon.”</p><p>“There is no blood on it.”</p><p>“No, we found it in the pond just there.” He showed the little body of water in the garden visible from the window. “Whoever threw it there broke the fishing clay gnome figure’s hat. That is how we spotted it.”</p><p>“Very good!” </p><p>Phryne threw a playful smile at him. Jack’s face slowly formed a grin, his abilities to school his expressions failing him. He felt ridiculously happy standing over a dead body. He managed to drop his s mile a little as he handed the evidence back to the constable.</p><p>”Did you already interview the household?”</p><p>“Mr. Bates the gardener started at 6 o’clock, he saw footprints by the fence. Collins took a cast. Man’s boots, size 9. Mrs. Woods arrived at 9:30. The General lived alone, usually waked up early, had his breakfast alone then relocated to the study where he either did maintenance on items of his rare firearm collection or wrote his memoirs from the war. Mrs. Woods normally started her work by cleaning up after the General in the kitchen. There was nothing there this morning, so she went upstairs to check on him. She found the body and called the police. The front door was locked. No sign of break in.”</p><p>“So whoever came in was an expected guest. There is no indication of struggle. Whoever did it was let in by the victim, showed into the study and just grabbed the rock from the self to kill maybe in a heat of the moment?”</p><p>“And let himself out after the murder. We have found the front door keys in the pond too. Mrs. Woods identified them as the General’s.”</p><p>“What about his memoirs?”</p><p>“Not found yet. According to Mrs. Woods the General has a hidden safe somewhere in this room.”</p><p>Phryne went back to the cabinets, swept her gloved fingers along the books. Behind a few false volumes she found the safe deposit box. It wasn’t locked and it was empty.</p><p>“It took me at least 20 minutes to locate that safe.” Jack had genuine proud in his voice.</p><p>“You already messed up the books, I just followed the pattern.”</p><p>“Very good!”</p><p>They looked mischievously at each other both enjoying this game. </p><p>“It was already empty when I found it. The killer must have took its contents. Whatever it was.”</p><p>“So, no more treats in the pond?”</p><p>“I am afraid not.”</p><p>Phryne went back to the table and grabbed a framed photo of it. It showed a young soldier in its prime. He looked familiar to her.</p><p>“Is that the general?”</p><p>“Yes. Taken before the war when soldering was considered to be an adventurous rite of passage.”</p><p>“But Aunt P. knows him! He was on the gala Jack. Jane Felton danced with him.”</p><p>“Interesting coincidence.”</p><p>Phryne went back to the body and turned the head a bit to compare the photo with the still intact part of the face.</p><p>“Do we have a more recent picture of him?”</p><p>“I think we have.”</p><p>Jack opened the desktop drawer and after a few seconds of digging he produced a white manila folder. From its content he fished out some newspaper clippings. One of them had a picture with the General in it.</p><p>“It was pressed a few years ago. The article marks the anniversary of his war service.”</p><p>Phryne studied the picture carefully. Something was odd. She grabbed her bag ready to leave the room.</p><p>“Where are his clothes?”</p><p>“The cupboards are in the bedroom.”</p><p>The general’s bedroom was next door. Phryne gave the article to Jack, dropped her bag on the nightstand and opened the cupboards doors with a grand theatrical gesture. Jack watched her meticulously going through the items as one watches a magician during a show in hope to reveal its secrets. She let out a triumphant cry when she found the General’s old uniform.</p><p>“Look at the buttons! They are the same.”</p><p>“Are you sure?”</p><p>“Yes! We need to talk to Paddy.”</p><p>She reached for her bag again.</p><p>“Phryne wait!”</p><p>Jack looked a bit red on the ears now. His earlier playfulness was gone.</p><p>“Mr. Feydman escaped around 3 o’clock this morning.”</p><p>“From your cells?”</p><p>“From my cells.”</p><p>“Why would he escape? And how?”</p><p>“To the how, I think when Miss Felton visited him just before 3 o’clock, she must have handed over some sort of lock pick device.”</p><p>“Didn’t your constables search her?”</p><p>“I am afraid Collins didn’t look in all the places.”</p><p>“You really need to train him better.”</p><p>“To the why” he continued ignoring her remark “there might be a completely unrelated reason to the murder.”</p><p>“Such as?”</p><p>“I did not let Mr. Feydman bailout, also they didn’t have the money. He expressed his interest in Miss Felton. With the turn of events at Mrs. Stanley’s charity gala they might have needed to get away from unwanted attention and unwanted payment.”</p><p>“But Jack, there is a connection through the buttons.”</p><p>“It is your word against… it is not exactly court evidence.”</p><p>“You saw him too wearing that vest on the gala!”</p><p>“No Phryne, I did not check out Mr. Feydman’s buttons!”</p><p>Jack was about to lose his temper, but Phryne kept on pushing the matter.</p><p>“What about Jane Felton dancing with the victim?”</p><p>“I have danced with her, a lot of people danced with both of them.”</p><p>“Why are you refusing to see clear evidence?!”</p><p>“Phryne it is a hunch! I am not saying we should not follow up, but we should treat this with caution. You are too close to this. You have been to close from the start!”</p><p>“So am I not professional enough now?”</p><p>Jack let out a desperate sigh.</p><p>“I went down to the guest house to inquire after Mr. Feydman and Miss Felton before I was called in for this murder. There is indeed a few rooms booked for the crew of the Gaya and I have met a Mr. Feydman and Miss Felton there but they were not our acquaintances. They faked their identities.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“There is more.”</p><p>“More?”</p><p>“I have run into Mr. Talby at the same guest house. He confessed he was paid by a woman matching our Miss Felton’s description to assault you at the night club.”</p><p>The following moment of silence were broken by Phryne's almost comically calm voice.</p><p>“Woa, you have been busy this morning...” </p><p>“I am sorry.”</p><p>Jack gazed her for clues to prepare himself for whatever was coming. The gravity of the situation was still sinking in for both of them.<br/>Phryne suddenly jerked, she felt like someone was stepping over her grave.</p><p>“It is alright Jack… How about you get the list of all the firearms in this house and see if there is a match to those bullets found on the bodies dug up next to my sister?”</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne and Jack analyze at City South.</p>
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    <p>“How did you know?”</p><p>“I didn’t know, it was the logical conclusion of a careful observation.”</p><p>The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher and Detective Inspector Jack Robinson were down at the station in Jack’s office. Him sitting in his chair while Phryne dressed in creamy blouse and skirt occupied her usual spot on his desk with her legs crossed, her knees on display for him to notice.</p><p>“You have asked for court evidence.”</p><p>Jack tossed the report on the table and looked her in the eye.</p><p>“You were right about the bullets. They were fired from the general’s mauser.”</p><p>“Like I have said” Phryne was rocking on the desk with self-satisfied expression “logical conclusion.”</p><p>Jack held a jar of old buttons and put it on top of the report.</p><p>“You were right about the buttons too. There were more found at the digging and they are a match to the General’s uniform.”</p><p>“By the way, did you notice that it is not exactly standard issue uniform? Madame Fleuri was certain that the crest-like shape is a Hydra and it is one of those covert gentleman club’s uniforms. Just think about it, we might have a secret society on our hands.”</p><p>“Don’t be too excited about that, those are never quite that exotic as they seem.”</p><p>“It could have been a revenge kill. The General shot those men and now, years later Jane and Paddy avenged them.”</p><p>Jack contemplated if he could ask her to stop referring to Mr. Feydman as Paddy. It shouldn't be bothering him, they were fake names after all. He fished out the autopsy report on the General.</p><p>“Death occurred between 1 and 3 am. That gives a good alibi for Mr. Feydman and Miss Felton. He was still behind bars and she was visiting just before 3 am.”</p><p>“What about Paddy’s vest?”</p><p>Jack eyed her a while with a frown in his brow before answering.</p><p>“No one could recall his vest from the gala, believe me, Collins and I interviewed everyone.  Apparently no one got so close to him apart from you to do a ‘careful observation’ on his clothing. I just have to take your word for it.”</p><p>Phryne decided she had enough of Jack’s little displays of jealousy.</p><p>“You know, you could have gotten to the same conclusion if you weren’t keeping your head up in your ass.”</p><p>“Where is that coming from? I have admitted you were right. Twice!”</p><p>“Still it is not you to allow personal feelings to get in the way of work.”</p><p>Jack let out a long breath, dropped his gaze at her knees then loosened his tie a bit to let out another shaky breath.</p><p>“It stings Phryne. They played us and because I was otherwise occupied they escaped.”</p><p>She realized they were not exactly on the same page.<br/>

“What are you talking about?”</p><p>“It is my job. It stings that I allowed my personal feelings to compromise my duties. The moment you realized the buttons can connect Mr. Feydman to the bodies we should have gotten him for questioning.”</p><p>Phryne didn’t miss the ‘we’ in the sentence, perhaps not all was lost.<br/>

“He was already behind bars with a constable on guard on your day off.”</p><p>“It always stings when I know I could have done more. Unfortunately it is not a rare occurrence in this profession.”</p><p>“Do you regret being with me instead?”</p><p>“What? No! Never.”</p><p>Jack reached out to place his hands on her knees as if to prevent her from fleeing.</p><p>“I want this, make this between us work. Beside we have multiple murders to solve and I am pretty much counting on your abilities to help me out.” He added and he knew she would be flattered.<br/>

To prove his point he gently moved his arms to encircle her waist and pulled her into his lap. Phryne immediately drove his fingers into his hair messing up his locks, elevating his head to meet her for a kiss.<br/>
Phryne couldn't help to get excited over the situation. That completely proved it, Jack was indeed compromised. She never thought he would allow an act of intimacy to take place in his office on his shift. Not to mention the door was not locked. Anyone could walk in, even after knocking there would be no doubt about what they were doing.<br/>
Soon she broke the kiss.</p><p>“What do you want from us? Per minimum.”</p><p>Jack considered what to answer. He had to be smart on this one. How could he phrase that he wanted everything with her, but he was so deep in, he would settle for anything. He cupped her cheek with one hand to hold her gaze on him.</p><p>“I want you at my crime scenes and in my bed. Also I want to step out with you, do some activities apart from work and… sleep.”</p><p>“How delightful, you can be my escort to every event and gala I need to attend.”</p><p>Jack dropped his hand from her cheek and went back to encirlce her body to press her more close to his chest.</p><p>“Any chance to come with me to the footy games?”</p><p>“You have a deal.”</p><p>“One more thing. I want exclusivity. As long as you have me you only have me.”</p><p>“Can you promise me the same?”</p><p>The question got Jack off guard, he laughed so loud it was heard by the constables at the front desk.</p><p>“It is not funny. It is only fair that you would answer.” Phryne kept on poking him.</p><p>“I love you. Why would I need anyone else? Alright, I promise.”</p><p>“Then I promise too.”</p><p>“What is that you want from us? Per minimum.” It was Jack’s turn to ask.</p><p>Phryne knew very well what she wanted from a man. She also knew she better never ever explain that to any of them. But there was one thing she could tell Jack.</p><p>“I would never be with you if I won’t feel safe with you and from you. I am already getting what I want. Do you understand?”</p><p>He nodded but in fact he had no clue. His brain tried to process the information, to figure out where all this was leading. He hoped if he shuts up and listens Phryne would elaborate.<br/>
But she dropped the matter and switched to a playful tone.</p><p>“So, now that we managed to establish our parameters, how about we seal our agreement in a more private setting? Your place of mine?</p><p>Jack's brain stopped analyzing. His other body parts started to demand his attention.</p><p>“That means you are not going to help me with the paperwork?”</p><p>“Can’t Hugh do that? As a punishment for not conducting a thorough search on female visitors.”</p><p>“I insist that my reports are being written by me.”</p><p>“So, your place or mine?” Phryne repeated the question with a mischievous grin.<br/>
Just as she started to play with his tie while still sitting on his lap Jack’s stomach let out a grumble.</p><p>“That decides it. Mine it is.”</p><p>“I am capable of feeding myself you know that?”</p><p>“Yes, but only I have a Mr. Butler at home.”</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>10 weeks later Jack is happy, Phryne is worried, Mac is a little shit but a dear friend, Arthur is a genius.<br/>This chapter is a bit morbid on bunnies - sorry.</p>
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    <p>Phryne sighed in her sleep shifting a bit closer to Jack’s chest. He was awake lying on his back staring at the ceiling. She was lying on her side next to him, her head on his shoulder with one arm cuddling his torso, her bare breasts pressed to his ribs. She fell asleep like that after ridding him into climax and collapsed not on top of him but beside. Jack wasn’t too active in that act, he did not thrust up into her not to break her rhythm chasing for her climax. He knew his release would be triggered as soon as she starts clenching around his cock, and it did. He just dropped his head on the pillow and came inside her.</p><p>It was almost morning in Wardlow when Phryne’s murmuring in her sleep snapped his eyes open. She looked peaceful, not as if fighting off a nightmare. He did not want to wake her, but absentmindedly started to stroke her shoulder. She pressed herself even closer to him but did not wake.<br/>Jack was no stranger to sharing a bed with a woman, but to his surprise Phryne slept as if he was part of the bedding set; always somehow on top or under him. At first he wasn’t sure he would be able to get any sleep like that, but with Phryne wearing him out to a sweet mindless tiredness sleep always came no matter the position.</p><p>How could she, who clings to me even in her sleep not need me? He mused still staring at the ceiling.</p><p>They were in a relationship 10 weeks now having some kind of sexual encounter almost every other day. Lately more of those resulting with him sleeping in at Wardlow. He even moved one spare suit there to accommodate his needs. They seemed like a young couple madly in love unable to keep their hands of each other. The more he thought about the harder his morning erection became.</p><p>He carefully pealed her off of him and gently arranged her on her back. He started kissing her breasts and stroking her sex coating her clit with her wetness. Phryne opened her eyes when she felt his fingers invading her. Her moans filled the room like morning birdsongs. Jack decided she was wet enough and relaxed enough for him so he quickly climbed on top of her replacing his fingers with his cock.<br/>He didn’t last long but neither did she. He had to get up for work but he just couldn’t miss out on this lovely way of starting the day. He was drunk on love and lust and couldn’t wait to get back from work and do this again and again to her.</p><p>Phryne had other concerns. After kissing him goodbye she fell back onto the pillows and took over the staring at the ceiling habit. Their uninterrupted joy of constant coupling meant one other thing: her period was late, very late.</p><p>And Jack didn’t notice. So much for being married for 16 years… although it might be an indication on how intimate that marriage was. It was not fair to Jack she knew that, but hell, if he could knock up his girl and not notice it he deserved the criticism.<br/>To be honest Phryne wasn’t sure herself. She needed to get herself tested and she suspected Mac would be a little shit over it.</p><p>She never wanted children of her own or getting tied to a man, be a nice little wife and mother and raise a family. Yet she ended up being a foster mother to Jane Ross, having an exclusive relationship with Jack and pretty much taking care of her people in Wardlow. <br/>She was terrified, there was no way out.<br/>If she would get rid of Jack’s baby it would mean losing him as well. Jack would never forgive her especially that he thought not having children with his wife was his fault.<br/>Dammit.</p><p>Phryne knew she would not keep the child just to keep Jack around. The thought disgusted her to the bones. Losing Jack or losing herself and because of that losing Jack… some choice to make.<br/>10 weeks, at least they had these 10 weeks together. And she still needed to solve the murders and find out what happened to Jane and Paddy.</p><p>Could I get rid of the pregnancy without Jack noticing it? I could, it would be on my conscious. I could live with that, couldn’t I?<br/>Dammit.</p><p>It would be so much easier if it had happened with some random lover. But it could not have happened with some random guy she knew. Even after 10 weeks Jack was still able to get her completely lose her head. No, it had to happen with him, only with him.<br/>It would be so much easier if she would not be in love with him. But she was, in love with every fiber of him and for the first time she actually admitted that to herself. And the child would have a part that is him…<br/>Dammit.</p><p>First things first, she needed to be sure. She got up and called Mac for an appointment.</p><p>---</p><p>Mac received her in her office at the woman’s hospital with her usual cynical mood at its best with a touch of insomnia.</p><p>“I’ve squeezed you in before Mrs. Stanley’s appointment. I thought she wouldn’t mind to wait a few minutes if it was because of you.”</p><p>“What is wrong with Aunt P.?</p><p>“It is not her, she asked me to have regular checkups on Arthur.”</p><p>“You are not doing house calls?”</p><p>“He likes to play with the bunnies.”</p><p>“Ah.”</p><p>“So, what is the emergency?”</p><p>“Oh, it is not life-threatening urgent, I just wanted to see you and might need your opinion on something.”</p><p>“Uhum, so how is going with you and Jack?”</p><p>“It’s alright.”</p><p>“Only alright?”</p><p>“He does look like a lovesick puppy sometimes… he is not much of a challenge lately.”</p><p>“So you miss not wanting to hit him with an axe?”</p><p>“He is perfect Mac. I am not worried about him, I am worried about myself.”</p><p>“Please do tell.”</p><p>Mac listened carefully as Phryne described the situation. If she was surprised by her friend’s suggestion, she did not show. She examined her friend with eased rutine and asked the usual questions.</p><p>“How long ago was your last period?”</p><p>“Well, 11-12 weeks, 2 months late for sure.”</p><p>“Nausea, headaches, emotional instability?”</p><p>“I have headaches and I am a bit jumpy if we don’t have sex for more than two days, but then it is fixed and the symptoms are gone.”</p><p>“I think that does not count, but remind me to prescribe Jack Robinson as an alternate medicine to headache powders.”</p><p>“I do feel as if something is different Mac… and we didn’t use protection on one occasion. I sort of forgot…”</p><p>“When was it?”</p><p>“10 weeks ago.”</p><p>“Isn’t that when you got together?”</p><p>“It happened only once.”</p><p>“If the time is right and the pair is biologically speaking compatible…”</p><p>“I know the science part Mac.”</p><p>“Alright. Let’s have it. Did you bring urine or we are sampling it now?”</p><p>“I have it.” Phryne got a small sealed brown bottle from her bag.</p><p>“Do you want to choose the rabbit? We have them in the garden. If it is positive nurse Maud’s cousin makes baby shoes from the fur, if the baby is kept of course.”</p><p>“No thanks… I thought rabbit testing is just a theory, it only got published not long ago.”</p><p>“I have tried it and it works.”</p><p>“You are not actually eating them aren’t you?”</p><p>“I threw them away. But I don't stand on guard to check if someone is fishing them out from the well.”</p><p>“You know what, I do not need to know the science part.”</p><p>“I thought so.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“So, did you talk to Jack?”</p><p>“Not yet. And I am not sure I will.”</p><p>“So you already decided not to have it?”</p><p>“I didn’t say that.”</p><p>“Phryne…”</p><p>“Why bother him at this stage? He has enough to worry about.”</p><p>“Like losing you?”</p><p>“Mac!”</p><p>Mac held her hands up in defeat.</p><p>“Alright. But you know, it is not the first time your period evades you. I think if you would have had proper monthly ones all the time you wouldn’t have the energy running around getting yourself into trouble.”</p><p>“If you refer during the war when we were constantly under fire, malnourished, fatigued and surrounded by death and terror. Pretty sure that does not count.”</p><p>Mac sat down.</p><p>“Phryne talk to him. He is not that bad you know. Remember when I said if I had to, he would be my first choice? It is not because he is such a fine specimen, it is because he has a surprisingly decent mentality for a man. He is besotted with you. You can do anything with him. Just talk to him.”</p><p>“He would want to get married and worry over me, keep me from harm, give me more of that lovesick puppy and I will die of suffocation. I am not even sure if I am pregnant.”</p><p>“Alright. I will call you as soon as I have the results.”</p><p>“Oh one more thing. My mother’s ship is due docking this week.”</p><p>“Do I want to know why?”</p><p>“Aunt P. made a somewhat insane decision and invited them over.”</p><p>“Why is it always so complicated with you?”</p><p>“Phryne! What on earth you are doing here?”</p><p>Speak of the devil Aunt P. marched in without knocking. She did sit on the hospital board and practically owned departments of the hospital and Phryne did barge into her appointment, still she found it irritating. But when she saw the happy excitement on Arthur’s face of seeing her, her pouting evaporated.</p><p>“I need a few minutes Mrs. Stanley.” Mac took charge of the situation. “Would you please sit down? Phryne why don’t you take Arthur to the garden to pet the bunnies? Let me know which one was his favorite.” She added with a wink.</p><p>Phryne was not amused but she was glad she could get out from under Aunt P.'s clear intent of interrogation. As she walked away hand in hand with Arthur, she heard Mac’s explanation that she just had to come and see if Arthur was fine. Sweet Mac having her back against Aunt P.</p><p>The rabbits were cute, it made her sick. She was desperate for a cigarette, but it disgusted her just as equally. Arthur insisted that she pet the rabbits as well. He already brought her 2 cute little fluffs onto her lap.</p><p>“Can we go to the theater to see cousin Janey?” Arthur asked out of the blue.</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Mother doesn’t want me to talk about cousin Janey. But I want to see her at the theater.”</p><p>“What theater?”</p><p>The wheels in her brain slowly started to turn.</p><p>“I like her costume. Can I have one too?”</p><p>“What costume? Arthur you have to tell me where did you see her in the costume?”</p><p>“Don’t tell mother. When she reads the papers I like to look at the pictures.”</p><p>“I promise I won’t tell. You saw her picture in a newspaper?</p><p>“Yes. But you are taking me to the theater.”</p><p>“Do you remember which newspaper?”</p><p>Arthur bit her thumb in effort of remembering. He also dropped the rabbit he was holding at the moment.</p><p>“September 8th 1927.”</p><p>“You remembered a picture of a person from 2 years ago who you only met 2 months ago? Do you remember the title of the paper?”</p><p>Arthur lost interest in the conversation and bent down back to the rabbit he just dropped.</p><p>“Arthur I have to go now. Can you pick up one bunny for me? Just give it to Mac when you leave if you do not forget.”</p><p>She bent down and kissed his cousin’s forehead. He was so lost in his activities that he didn’t react, not even when she wiped of the lipstick.<br/>Phryne motioned towards a nurse to take over Arthur from her and she was on her way.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne's and Jack's night on a train to Sydney.</p><p>I did use some wikipedia info for this one attempting not to write stuff completly out of place.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the train rolled along the tracks providing a monotone rumbling background noise, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson read his newspaper article over and over again looking for hidden clues or something that would trigger an idea. He occupied one of the two berths of the sleeping car, laying on his back, one hand under his head, the other holding the paper above. <br/>Nothing came up. It was a review of Sydney’s Empire Theatre from 1927 with a picture taken on a show. The second person on the left indeed looked like their so-called Miss Jane Felton – according to the newspaper a Miss Layla Mirage. Probably a stage name only, but still Arthur was right. Phryne could not have been prouder.</p><p>Jack almost couldn’t believe their luck when Phryne barged in on him in his office with the very same newspaper in her hands. They hit the wall with the General’s murder and with the bodies more than a month ago. The jar of buttons, the bullets and the mauser laid locked up in his evidence room collecting an already considerable dust layer on top. He was used to unsolved cases, but it definitely preyed on Phryne’s mind, he could tell something was off with her. <br/>The moment they were back on track it energized them to a blissful state of thrill they both enjoyed to the point they could not imagine their lives without it.</p><p>He called the theater where they confirmed that Miss Mirage left a year ago and tried to hang up the phone on him as fast as possible. The theater was over the season and reopened to host moving pictures, actresses were no priority. He insisted a bit flashing his authority on them and in the end they gave him Miss  Mirage's forwarding address before hanging up.<br/>He called his colleagues in Sydney who checked the apartment for him. The rent was still paid, but no one saw Miss Mirage for months.<br/>When Phryne called the theatre they even fetched a fellow actress, Miss Delicia for her who agreed to meet them in Sydney. How did she do it was still a mystery to Jack, she just talked to them through the phone, same as he did.</p><p>All these events lead to travelling with the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher Lady Detective on the overnight train to Sydney in the first class sleeping car.<br/>Phryne was on the other berth, lying on her back staring at the ceiling. Jack noticed she picked up the habit a while now, it got him concerned. It wasn’t her thing to lay still, stare at the emptiness and contemplate. <br/>He decided an intrusion was in order. He put down the paper, got up and went to sit by her side. Phryne smiled and turned to her side to make room for him to lay down next to her, which he did, spooning her from behind. As soon as he cuddled her, he started to breathe small kisses into her hair and neck. Phryne hummed in approval. Jack took it as encouragement to engage her into a conversation.</p><p>“Did you know, it is every men’s fantasy to make love to a beautiful mysterious woman on a train?”</p><p>“Is that so?”</p><p>“It is common knowledge.”</p><p>Phryne turned in his arms to face him. Looking into his eyes shining greenish in the last light of sunset, darkened with desire made her body shiver.</p><p>“Did I ever tell you” Jack went on “this is where I got interested in you? On the train to Ballarat.”</p><p>“Oh, so it wasn’t love at first sight?” </p><p>To Phryne’s teasing Jack laughed in delight. He laughed a lot these days, Phryne found him adorably relaxed.</p><p>“No, it was suspicion at first sight. Then you got my attention. Later, much later it hit me that I am in love with you.”</p><p>They kissed for a while and when Jack felt her shifting closer to him with want he started to work her clothes to access bare skin making his intentions clear.</p><p>“Do you know when you had my attention for the first time?” Phryne asked as he broke the kiss to devour her neck.</p><p>“I am almost afraid to know.”</p><p>He opened her blouse and bent his head to kiss her collarbone.</p><p>“When you told me you live separately from your wife for some time then. Your statement got me excited over the possibilities it could mean for us. Only seconds later you said that a marriage was still a marriage and my excitement dropped. That is how I knew. I felt like I am missing out on something wonderful.”</p><p>“If only I knew.”</p><p>Jack stopped his ministrations to look into her eyes. He wanted to know when she fell in love with him. She actually didn’t told him that yet, not even in post coital bliss. He promised to himself he would never push her to say it, he would wait patiently for her to let him know no matter how much he needed her to confirm that to him. Maybe now she would confess.<br/>Phryne had something completely different on her mind.</p><p>“You really never ever cheated on Rosie? Not even when you lived separately for so long? Men supposed to have a built in engine to seek out women.”</p><p>Jack huffed and shook his head in defeat. Nevertheless he complied.</p><p>“My marriage… it did not fail because I had desire for others. If failed because in the end I was left with none. I had a leak on my engine. My fuel run out. Until you barged into my life that is.”</p><p>To prove his point he bent his head again and caught one of her nipples in his mouth to suck on it through her lingerie.</p><p>“Hmm, still you took your time. Turning my head… it drove me nuts you know. My engine worked just fine, in fact it was overheating.”</p><p>Oh Jack noticed that. He noticed her sexually vibrating aura luring in the French artists, fugitive anarchists, Russian clairvoyants, tango dancers, foreign businessmen with semi legal activities, even murder suspects and how she was all too happy to indulge them.</p><p>“Did you ever chea… um… ever decided to miss out on a promising dalliance because you were already with someone?”</p><p>“And what kind of question is that?”</p><p>“You have asked me the same.”</p><p>“No I did not!”</p><p>“Still I gave you an answer.”</p><p>Jack was right and Phryne knew it. It must have been difficult for him to open up to her and talk about the marriage that was a painful failure for him. She had skeletons in the closet just as big and painful.</p><p>“Well… now that I think of it, I was actually faithful to René. Mainly because I had to be careful not to upset him. That didn’t really worked for me, so… you do know very well how that story ended.”</p><p>Jack knew that and from some clues he had a pretty good idea what had happened in the past, still she never told him anything concrete about her French lover before.</p><p>“You said you feel safe with me.” He remembered suddenly.</p><p>“It is a wonderful felling Jack.”</p><p>Phryne gently pushed him to his back and started to unbutton his shirt. She gave out a glorious sound of victory when she found naked skin under. She kissed her way up from his stomach to his neck taking her time luxuriating in the soft agreeing sounds Jack was letting out. At some point he carefully turned them over so he could be on top supporting his weight on one elbow while hiking up her skirt with his hand. She moved her legs to the side so he could free her from her underwear, then she spread them so he could nestle between. Jack pulled down his trousers and smalls a bit to free his cock and because she was already wet for him and he was in a perfect position, he didn’t waste time to enter her. He waited a few seconds for her to adjust to his considerate size compared to her tight and strait cunt. It was an unspoken rule in their lovemaking. He would never bring willingly unpleasantness to her, yet this unbelievably delicious feeling of a firm first thrust inside her brought him immense pleasure each time. <br/>They were practically fully dressed yet managed to find bare skin where needed. Jack started to move slowly first to make room for harder, deeper thrusts.</p><p>Phryne watched him with eyes wide open. The rails curved under their train and the burning last blood red lights of the sunset filled the cabin illuminating Jack’s body from his chin to his waist where her legs encircled him. The shadows of the objects passing by were dancing on him as he moved inside her. He was beautiful, almost otherworldly. It occurred to Phryne that this might be one of their last times together. Last time to feel him pulsing inside her, his tongue wrestling with hers in their kiss, have his taste and scent surrounding her.</p><p>“Phryne?” He stopped mid thrust breathing heavily against her neck.</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“You are somewhere else my love…”</p><p>He looked up to see if she was alright.</p><p>“I am here Jack.” She replied with a sad smile.</p><p>“Do you want me to stop?”</p><p>“No! I just… my mind wandered off, that is all.” She stroke his hair and his cheek. “Like you have said, I am too close to this case.”</p><p>“Is there anything I can do?”</p><p>“Just don’t stop.”</p><p>“Alright… Phryne?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“Do you want this?”</p><p>“Yes. Please don’t stop.”</p><p>She guided him to meet her for a kiss. It was long and deep and somewhere in the middle he started thrusting again. When it became too intense for him he dropped his head back against her neck.<br/>Phryne watched him focusing on the feeling of being embraced by him, not to miss out on any little details, to commit to memory every fiber of him as he made love to her. All his moves, his shaking breaths, the filthy little sounds he sighed against her neck, the sweet boyish cry as he came, the waves of his release against her walls. She welcomed his collapse on top of her, pressing his body into hers as his breathing calmed. She was still watching him when her gaze met with his concerned look.</p><p>“You didn’t…?”</p><p>“It’s alright.”</p><p>“No, no, just let me…”</p><p>He started to panic a bit, that is not what Phryne wanted.</p><p>“Shh, please don’t move.”</p><p>“You don’t want me to finish it for you?”</p><p>“Just hold me close.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you stop me?”</p><p>As his softening cock slipped out of her he looked like he was about to cry.</p><p>“Shh Jack, please just hold me… just hold me.”</p><p>He bit his lips in frustration. He didn’t understand what is wrong and he couldn’t reach her, not with worlds, not with sex. It made him shut down. He wanted to retreat, but Phryne was holding him firmly on top of her.<br/>They fell asleep like that, wrapped around each other in crumpled clothes on one berth to the sound of the rumpling train.</p><p>---</p><p>They woke up just before the train arrived at Sydney and quickly got ready to leave the car. Neither of them mentioned their lovemaking from the night before. Jack didn’t know how to bring up the topic and Phryne just wanted to threw herself straight into the hunt.<br/>When they reached their hotel there was barely enough time to freshen up, unpack their bags, hang the most crucial items in the cupboards and get ready for the interview with Miss Delicia at the theater.</p><p>Phryne fresh from her shower and yet without makeup was sitting in the armchair in nothing but a robe. She was in the middle of deciding which dress to wear and choose a lingerie type to match when Jack emerged from his shower. She immediately decided that was a more interesting prospect than her dress. His hair was a mess as he tried to dry it with a towel, his chest and back was still damp a bit, he was completely naked but a small towel barely encircling his waist. He transformed in front of her eyes from clumsy teenager looks to a buttoned up, 3 piece suit and tie, shaved and pomaded Detective Inspector who looked almost statue-like, rather a manifestation of a fantasy than a real person. He was leaning now against the mantelpiece looking at her with questioning eyes.</p><p>“This came for you while you were in the shower.”</p><p>“You opened the door like that?”</p><p>Phryne didn’t answer just fanned herself with the telegram a bit before handing it over to him.</p><p>“Any idea why the Commissioner wants to meet you so urgently?”</p><p>“A few. Aren’t you coming with me?”</p><p>“Someone has to meet Miss Delicia.”</p><p>“True.”</p><p>“How about we meet them separately and regroup later to share on a lunch date?”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan.” Jack sighed in defeat, it seemed he was already late. “Did you decide on the dress?”</p><p>“I though perhaps watching you getting dressed would inspire me.”</p><p>It was cruel, how she looked at him like that with so much desire, knowing he practically had to run if not fly to arrive on time. Jack loosened his tie and went to stand in front of her. He risked to gave her a kiss, just one short but deep kiss.</p><p>“I think I would go for the green dress.”</p><p>“That is one of my favorite.”</p><p>“Is it really?”</p><p>He pulled her up to stand a little impatiently and encircled her naked body under the robe. She was clearly in the mood and he welcomed the development very much, unable to resist her.</p><p>“I like how it offers your breast without the lingerie, yet because of the shiny beads on the transparent wail in front it is impossible to tell if your nipples are erect or not. I actually had to touch them to feel them for myself.”</p><p>“Hmm, it is good to know you do notice these tiny details…”</p><p>“Always.”</p><p>His voice was so deep its register ignited trembling waves of pleasure inside her.</p><p>“Forget what I said about meeting them now, let the Commissioner wait.”</p><p>Phryne kissed him with unmistakable passion while pressing her naked body to his fully clothed one, her open robe started to glide down on her shoulders. Jack became dizzy with desire but had to stop them. He really needed to be on his way now.</p><p>“I have to go, I am so late.”</p><p>Phryne made a show of pouting but nevertheless she let go of him.</p><p>“I will make it up for you, I promise.” Jack offered as he put on his coat and grabbed his fedora.</p><p>“I am afraid I’ve messed up your hair and your tie is crooked.” She made an attempt to arrange a few loosened curls, she was so sweet he couldn't help but smile.</p><p>“It’s a pity you haven’t applied your makeup yet. I feel incomplete without your lipstick smudged over me.”</p><p>“Nothing I cannot fix later.”</p><p>“I am defiantly taking your word for it.”</p><p>“Don’t be late from lunch.”</p><p>“I won’t be.”</p><p>There were so much promise in her eyes. Jack felt pretty much on top of his game again as he left the hotel room.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack's day in Sydney. His investigations and his conclusions.</p><p>This chapter is bit longer again, but it had to be one unit.<br/>I had a tough 2 weeks at work since the new year, but now I am back and in the finish line with this story.<br/>Thank you for sticking around! :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Detective Inspector Jack Robinson knocked confidently on Commissioner Emmerick’s door. He was in a good mood, he wanted to impress his colleagues in Sydney and was curious about the reason why they have summoned him. He only regretted that he couldn’t show off with the Honorable Miss Fisher Lady Detective on his side. Jack did notice how he was regarded differently whenever they showed up together on official or non-official business. He wasn’t sure if that meant a good thing or a bad thing regarding his reputation, but he for sure felt in place with her. She really brought out the best of him.</p><p>“Come in!”</p><p>Commissioner Emmerick was an older man with grey hair and with an impressive mustache that was still brown. He was sitting by his hazelnut desk covered with evidence boxes, motioning Jack closer as he entered the room. There was a much younger man with the Commissioner. He stood up to shake hands with Jack.</p><p>“Inspector Thomas Anderson.”</p><p>“Inspector Jack Robinson.”</p><p>At first impression Jack could tell that DI Anderson was not from his salary range, in fact he would have doubted if he even worked for the police. He was luxuriously dressed and his immaculate skin suggested he never did hard work in his life. The Commissioner’s clothing also spoke of a little investment kept in them. Their shoes alone cost more than Jack earned in a month. He recognized their well-tailored suits from the latest fashion because Phryne bought him one as well. He agreed to wear it when he escorted her to public appearances, but he always felt out of place in it. His three piece suit wasn’t a lie. They say you should dress for the job you want and not the job you have. Jack had the job he loved and wanted even with its ups and downs. Not to mention that the very same job got him into meeting Miss Fisher.<br/>But now in one room with these men who were very much from his world, he felt underpaid and lower-class. Strange how Phryne never made him feel that way.</p><p>“You must be wondering why we called you in.”</p><p>“I hope it is related to the murders we are investigating here with my partner?”</p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p>DI Anderson indicated to the chair next to him and started to unpack the content of the evidence boxes, placing large piles of files in front of Jack. He then worked through the pages with him one by one.<br/>The first file was a list of names. Each name had a separate file in the pile with photos, personal details, description and list of activities. They were old files, at least 20 years old.</p><p>“These are the members of the late Hydra Club.”</p><p>“Hydra Club?”</p><p>“It was an association of gentlemen in Indochina to assist the British commercial operations in the region. Authorized to take extra measures. What you see here is a list of elite gentlemen experienced in warfare and with a considerate collection of firearms.”</p><p>“A group of assassins paid by the British Empire?” Jack translated what he have heard.</p><p>“We cannot confirm or deny that.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>“What we can confirm is that the Hydra Club was dismissed somewhere around 1905-10, its members retired and settled down across the Empire.”</p><p>“They were too successful.” The Commissioner added.</p><p>Jack knew it meant they stepped on toes they should have not, got too powerful as a secret organization and its own British master shut them down, probably with a lot of bloodshed that was never recorded.”</p><p>“Some of the members settled down here in Australia. Reinvented themselves and engaged in supposedly more legitimate activities.”</p><p>DI Anderson handed over a smaller pile of files to Jack. He read them attentively and hummed as he recognized one of them as a politician, another one as a factory owner. They all dies many years ago.</p><p>“General Clamp is not in here.” Jack noted.</p><p>“It looks like we were not able to track down all of them.” The Commissioner explained.</p><p>“And you think that the General was a member?”</p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p>Jack kept on reading the pages about the Australians meticulously searching for clues.</p><p>“Their deaths occurred relatively in proximity to each other. They have all been murdered or disappeared. You think someone was hunting them down and now it has found the General?” </p><p>“There were indications that these ex-members maintained a sort of association to influence politics, economy in their usual non-legitimate ways. We suspected several crimes were committed by them directly or indirectly. Back then we had no evidence. We needed an inside man and we have found the weakest link to help us.”</p><p>Two other files was handed over to Jack.</p><p>“Mr. Lee Yates here had an agreement with the police. He trained an officer to infiltrate their ranks. Entering was through referral and initiation. We had everything covered. Sergeant Simon Morrell was our inside man. They both disappeared in 1918.”</p><p>Jack looked at the picture of the police officer and sighed. He was way too young, not much older than Collins, had a cheeky smile and an open face with ambitious looks that was way too familiar. Young officers eager to show, eager to build a carrier, easily talked into dangerous missions.</p><p>“You think they are the two bodies we dug up in Melbourne?”</p><p>“Exactly. I could not believe my ears when I’ve read the report. After all those years finally a breakthrough. Well done Robinson.” The Commissioner sounded genuinely proud.</p><p>“Why didn’t you claimed the bodies?”</p><p>There was a small silence and Jack got sure he would not like the explanation if he would get one. The Commissioner took it on himself to break it for him.</p><p>“We have sent over an officer to keep an eye on your progress.” Jack immediately thought of the Sergeant he got as a temporary replacement for his man shot in action and recovering at home. “We decided it’s best to keep the case within your capable hands. After all you discovered the bodies and the connection to the General’s murder.”</p><p>Jack translated all of this in his mind.</p><p>“You were using Miss Fisher as a bait.”</p><p>“She spent time with both our suspects, especially with the one identified as Mr. Feydman.” DI Anderson cut in.</p><p>“They have used her because of the location where Murdock Foyle buried her sister.” Jack pushed back.</p><p>“That is one way to look at it.” Anderson’s remark was slightly ironic. </p><p>Jack begun to feel uncomfortable and decided he won’t have any of it.</p><p>“What are you saying Inspector?”</p><p>“The point is we were right. You called in and identified Miss Felton as the actress Miss Layla Mirage and we are trying to track her down since.”</p><p>To convince Jack, DI Anderson put a file in front of him and opened it. There was a pretty picture of the actress, an even better one that they sent over him previously to Melbourne. From the angle this one was taken, Miss Mirage looked even more like Phryne.</p><p>“She was recruited from the theater a year ago apparently for a well-paid job.”</p><p>“If she is not a member, her life is in danger.” Jack mentined while reading.</p><p>“But who recruited her is a member and that is all we need.”</p><p>Jack was still reading the file. Miss Mirage was indeed an orphan and had a medical condition of amnesia. He acknowledged that she wasn’t lying at that bit. There was a comment on imaginary friends as well. It didn’t interfere with her carrier, maybe even helped her abilities to fully incorporate her roles to her acting.</p><p>“Any idea how Mr. Feydman would fit in, or who he might be?”</p><p>“He would be our main suspect for the General’s murder.”</p><p>“He has an alibi. They both have the same alibi for the time of death. They were at my station. Could he be a fellow actor paid for the same job?”</p><p>“We have checked, no one has seen him and based on the mugshots you took he is kind of hard to miss. We were hoping Miss Fisher would lead us to him” As Jack’s eyes narrowed Anderson quickly added “But that trail went cold because of other developments.”</p><p>In the awkward silence following that statement Commissioner Emmerick decided it was time to leave the two Detective Inspectors to themselves.</p><p>“I am late from another meeting, but you two go on.”</p><p>He shook Jack’s hand and gave a nod to Anderson before he left. As soon as the door was closed Anderson turned to Jack.</p><p>“I apologize for my remark. I have only respect for the Lady Detective. Her work is known to us and I am one of the officers who recognizes her many talents.”</p><p>Jack decided not to comment but waited to see what he was on about.</p><p>“I need results. This case was resurrected from the archive when you dug up those bodies. 20 years ago it was Emmerick’s case. He pulled me out from an operation I was training for months because apparently I am his favorite. He is eager to find closure and so do I. I need to get back and focus on my men, they need me in that operation.”</p><p>Jack appreciated the honesty and understood the sentiment.</p><p>“Let me go through the files again. Can I take some of them with me?”</p><p>“No, but take as many notes as you wish.”</p><p>They went on for hours revisiting the material and bouncing ideas off each other. In the end Jack got convinced that his colleague was a very professional police officer. Despite of his distaste towards this case he did dig into it deeply and was up to date with all the facts. Jack’s notebook began to fill with his unreadable scribbling.<br/>He went back to Sergeant Morrell’s file. As he was looking at the picture of the young officer who infiltrated such a dangerous organization something got triggered in his mind, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. He sighed. Phryne would know, he mused, she would just hop on the desk next to him, lean over, cover him in her cloud of French perfume and point it out for him.<br/>It was DI Anderson’s stomach that grumbled first but Jack’s followed as singing in canon. He suddenly remembered his lunch date with Phryne.</p><p>“I have to go, I have a lunch meeting.”</p><p>“Alright, I will grab something with the boys. I am on duty until 5 if you need me and bring your legendary Lady Detective anytime.” He added with a wink that Jack regarded with his usual deadpan face.</p><p>They started to collect the files to put back into the box, but in their haste some papers were knocked off from the table. As Anderson bent down to pick them up Jack took Morrell’s picture off the paperclip and hid it in his pocket. He needed to show it to his Lady Detective.</p><p>---</p><p>In the hotel’s restaurant Jack was sitting at the empty table with a cup of tea waiting for his lunch date to show up. Phryne was late and she didn’t call or left a note for him. He wasn’t concerned at first. It wasn’t the first time she let him wait and she always had good reason, sometimes a bit too terrifying for him to know. He knew it would take some time getting used to the fact that she can take care of herself, he might never be fully relaxed regarding this matter. He wondered if this was what his ex-wife went through all those years. Feeling powerless with only the hope that he would come home in one piece.</p><p>To pass the time he went through his notes again. He took Morrell’s photo out too and regarded it for a minute. Nothing. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Her thoughts went back to Phryne. <br/>Where the hell could she be now? He needed to focus. </p><p>As he turned the photo around he found writing on the back. 1918 Marble Road 72.<br/>He immediately recognized the address, just could figure out where he saw it before. I was not long ago he was sure of it. He checked his notes again from the beginning, searching the pages one by one. And there it was. Same street, Marble Road but with number 70th, the opposite building listed as one of Miss Mirage’s addresses in Sydney. It was a guest house, but still worth checking it out. <br/>Jack Robinson didn’t believe in coincidences. He paid for his tea and called the station for DI Anderson.</p><p>---</p><p>Inspector Anderson was still on his lunch break therefore the station sent Jack a constable to back him up. He had his own gun but was in fact grateful for the extra authority while dealing with Mr. Hank the guesthouse’s concierge.</p><p>“Do you remember this woman? She was a tenant here, a regular around a year ago.”</p><p>Jack showed him the photo of Miss Layla Mirage.</p><p>“I don’t even remember what I had for breakfast.” Mr. Hank replied not really looking at the picture.</p><p>“Are you absolutely certain?”</p><p>“The police were already here last week and checked the books. Our taxes were fine.”</p><p>“We are here regarding a murder investigation.”</p><p>“Oh, why didn’t you say so?”</p><p>Mr. Hank took the picture and gave it a good look this time.</p><p>“Yeah, it could be her.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>“One of Julian’s special lady friends. Yeah, I think it was her. She was here today.”</p><p>“And Julian is?”</p><p>“Mr. Julian McKee, one of our regulars. He has a lot of special lady friends if you catch my drift…”</p><p>The wheels in Jack’s brain started to turn.</p><p>“Is he a professional escort?”</p><p>“Yeah, he is definitely.” Mr. Hank’s grin got disturbingly wide. “First I thought his as deprived, you know, sniffing around and making suggestions to every living thing. But then he started to bring in the ladies and oh, he is a big boy for sure. Those ladies looked impressed and satisfied if you catch my drift… Like this lady today, I am almost sorry they made it to the room.”</p><p>Jack couldn’t believe his luck. They might have accidently found their missing ‘call me Paddy’. He fished out a mugshot of Mr. Feydman from his notes to confirm.</p><p>“Is this Mr. McKee?”</p><p>“That is indeed our Julian, same haircut and everything. Is he in trouble? Oh he is! I knew it! Although the lady looked a bit different. Her hair was shorter, cut under her ears and she dressed real fancy, like a toff. But who knows what goes with actresses.”</p><p>Jack swallowed as his stomach dropped. It couldn’t be. <br/>He had to be sure.</p><p>“Was she wearing a green dress with curved neckline and long cut out? Little beads everywhere.”</p><p>“Yeah! It had the light sparkling all over her when she moved. Nice dress, I tell you that.”</p><p>Jack didn’t recognize his own voice as he tried to ask, it was almost a whisper.</p><p>“Are they still here?”</p><p>“Might be. Not all of them stays for the night…”</p><p>Jack swore if he would add ‘if you catch my drift’ to it, he would punch him, so he cut in.</p><p>“Which room?”</p><p>“35, third floor.”</p><p>Jack turned to the constable and addressed him in a stone cold voice.</p><p>“Stay here take down Mr. Hank’s statement on the activities around Mr. McKee. I will look upstairs.”</p><p> </p><p>Jack hesitated at the door tagged with a cheap, crooked wooden 5 and an empty space for 3 in front. He automatically got out his gun as he entered the third floor now squeezing it nervously in his sweaty palm. His thoughts were racing in his mind.<br/>She wouldn’t be so careless to break what they had, wouldn’t she? Maybe she is just playing at something while on a hunt as usual with him two steps behind. He put away his gun, took a deep breath and knocked on the door.<br/>Nothing.<br/>He knocked again.<br/>Still nothing.<br/>He pulled out his gun again and kicked the door open.</p><p>The room was in a mess, emptied out in a hurry when their occupants left not long ago. The bed covers were half on the floor half on the bed, one pillow in the middle of the bed another one under. The cupboards were open, some clothes were left hanging, but no luggage or coat in sight.<br/>The room still smelled of Phryne’s perfume.<br/>He absentmindedly approached the bed and took the pillow. He had to be sure. Her perfume was stronger on its fabric. Jack sat down on the bed holding the pillow to his chest staring at the empty wall in front of him for a while. There was a small bin by the bed. He opened the lid and closed it immediately. There were three used condoms in there. The advantage of a young athletic body with stamina and not enough brain to interfere with it.</p><p>Jack started to feel sick, real sick. He got up, dropped the pillow and went straight to the bathroom to throw up in the sink. Luckily his lunch was only a cup of tea, all he produced was stomach acid.<br/>He rinsed his mouth, splashed cold water on his face and reached for the towel only to stumble across Phryne’s silver headpiece left on the bathroom shelf next to the shower. He took it and while cradling the darling item in his hands he slowly sank down on the floor his back against the wall.</p><p>At least she took a shower washing of my scent before taking on his… Did she took one after? She wouldn’t have left the headpiece if she did. Or maybe her mind was just blown away…</p><p>He knew he should be crying but the tears just didn’t come. His eyes were dry and somewhere in his brain a voice welcomed this familiar feeling of sad desperation, recognized defeat, cursed but sweet loneliness, the confirmation of being damaged beyond repair. It felt normal, as if with everything he experienced in the last couple of months he was just fooling himself. <br/>He knew this would happen, he knew it from the start. Why surprise? She cannot be tied down, she is a force of nature, she goes wherever her desire takes her. One can bathe in her light or get burn, but no one would ever tame or claim her. <br/>Still, she should have been more conscious. She should have known it was not fair to put him through this, no matter how much he needed to be shaken up. Not for this price. Why couldn’t she just leave him alone?</p><p>His body was numb, he pressed the back of his head against the tiles and closed his eyes, focusing only on his veins pulsing a rhythm in his ears and on the stab in his chest. After a while even they were gone.<br/>Jack collected himself from the floor. <br/>He had a murderer to catch.</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p>It was already evening when Jack stormed into their hotel room booked with Phryne. <br/>He found the woman he loved sitting in the same armchair he last saw her in the morning. She was wearing the same robe, again with no makeup, it was as she would never left, except now she was crying for god knows how long. She looked so small and vulnerable, almost as if defeated. A rare sight and Jack could not help but feel sympathy for her. But he knew he shouldn’t touch or comfort her. It would sway his last resolve and he need to see this through.<br/>He stood in front of her just out of arms reach and began.</p><p>“Are you leaving me?”</p><p>Phryne raised her cried out eyes on him but didn’t answer.</p><p>“Am I losing you because you are in love with Julian McKee?”</p><p>“What are you talking about?!”</p><p>“No Phryne, I want you to be honest with me, even if it is hard. I won’t be angry, I am, but we are still… partners. I will not cause you trouble, I promise, just don’t play games with me.”</p><p>“Jack! What on earth?!”</p><p>“You were seen today at Marble Road in his arms.”</p><p>“I don’t think that is enough evidence for your conclusion.”</p><p>“I’ve been in the room. His pillow smelled of you.”</p><p>Phryne opened her mouth to protest and then she just shut it without saying anything looking like a fish out of water, out of breath. Nothing felt right. She knew she would not be able to calm him. </p><p>“I noticed how you looked at him. Did you want him from the day you have met? Did you think you couldn’t have him because you needed to take in count that the girl might be your sister? Was I just there being useful to let off steam? And now that… I can’t believe you let a murder suspect corrupt you!”</p><p>Jack stopped in his trail of thoughts as Phryne’s expression changed from confusion to utter horror and disbelief. Her tears dried up and all her vulnerability turned into pure anger. She stood up to meet this fool eye to eye on the same level.</p><p>“So this is what you have thought of us all this time?”</p><p>Jack stood his ground.</p><p>“You do enjoy variety.”</p><p>They were staring at each other in anger and frustration until finally Phryne snapped.</p><p>“Get OUT! Just get out!!!”</p><p>Jack nodded in agreement. He grabbed his bag, threw his clothes into it from the shelves he could reach with his body full of exploding nerves, got his hanged suit from the cupboard and left shutting the door with a large bang. <br/>He didn’t even bother to take his items from the bathroom.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Phryne picks up Mac at the station.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey Fisher!”</p><p>Dr. Elizabeth MacMillan’s unladylike organum stirred up the pigeons despite the Grand Station being one of the noisiest places on Earth. She definitely got all the heads turned not just the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher’s.</p><p>“Mac! At last!”</p><p>Phryne didn’t waste time to fly into her arms and the two women embraced each other for several long moments on the train station’s platform.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have come just for me you know.” Phryne whispered in a voice that clearly stated the opposite.</p><p>“I knew you would say that. That is why I telegrammed just before I got on this train, not giving you any chance to talk me out of it.”</p><p>“I have to admit it is good to have you here.”</p><p>Phryne gave her a sweet smile and they walked off hand in hand from the crowded area. From a far they looked like a nice couple with Mac wearing her usual man’s suit and a brown backpack, Phryne in a stunning mallow dress with a matching purse trotting confidently by her side.</p><p>“I never thought I would be bringing such news to you.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t have it from anyone else.”</p><p>They cleared the stations flooding crowd and Phryne dragged Mac to look for a cab.</p><p>“Where is Jack? You didn’t bring him?”</p><p>“No, we broke up.”</p><p>“Oh, so you are not keeping the baby?”</p><p>“No, he doesn’t know it yet. We broke up about something else. It’s a good thing you packed light.”</p><p>Phryne got them into a cab and gave the driver directions. As the streets flew by the window Mac picked up the conversation from the backseat.</p><p>“Soo, are you going to tell me why you two broke up?”</p><p>“The usual…”</p><p>“I’m not following… What is your usual with Jack?”</p><p>“We broke up so I don’t have to hit him with an axe.”</p><p>“Oh, so he freaked out that you were cheating on him? Did you?”</p><p>“No I didn’t! Why are you even asking?!”</p><p>“Hey! You are not telling me anything, I am on a fact finding mission.”</p><p>Phryne let out a huff and folded her arms on her lap, leaned back in the seat and refused to look at her friend. Mac couldn’t believe it, Phryne was actually pouting like a little girl wanting to get more candies out of their miserable parents. She would have slapped her but considering what she must have been going through she decided to keep the slapping for later.<br/>Phryne was still pouting when the cab stopped and they got out. It wasn’t a very posh or friendly neighborhood, but at least the air was clean and the sun was warming up the morning breeze.  Phryne looked for the street signs and when she has found the right one she marched ahead into a narrow back alley with backdoors and rear windows facing it. Mac followed her the best she could.</p><p>“What are we doing here?”</p><p>Phryne stopped, turned back to face her friend. She wasn’t pouting anymore, she was angry.</p><p>“You know it very well Mac that I never needed a man in my life, even when I thought myself in love it was of no use. I never wanted to be taken care of, never needed their guidance, never wanted to be a Mrs., never wanted to be subordinate.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“I just liked their penises, not their seeds. I never wanted children just the good hard penis eager to pleasure me. I wasn’t after exclusivity as well. Exclusivity means you have to wait until they are in the mood again. If the guy couldn’t get it up I just went and got it from somewhere else. Keep it simple, keep it clear, that is my motto.”</p><p>Mac of course knew it all, she just never heard her summarized it so well before. She stepped closer and gently touched her shoulder to calm her down. It seemed to work. Phryne sighed and continued in a much relaxed state.</p><p>“I knew Jack would never fit in that picture. But I still did it. Because I wanted him. And he was good for me. Being with him didn’t feel like lying to myself. I liked working with him, I liked being around him… You know what being with a man feels like? Not the penis, but in a relationship. It makes you feel tired all the time and in constant alert, in constant defense. It feels like they are only there to break you or looking for someone to take care of them because they have nothing to give, nothing to provide – except for the occasionally working penis.”</p><p>Phryne sighed again, took Mac’s hand and continued walking down the alley. The anger slowly evaporated from her voice and it was left only with sadness.</p><p>“Jack never made me feel that way. Not as a friend, not as a partner, not as a lover. Even when he wasn’t up to it, he made sure I was left satisfied. There were some unwelcomed sensations triggered by him, he is not perfect, but none of them was of that sort. He meant more to me than just means of carnal pleasure, yet I have failed to make him see that. I just made him leave. Again.”</p><p>“Do you want him back? You know you can have him back anytime. He is not that complex.”</p><p>Phryne just shook her head.</p><p>“He accused me of eating random cocks the moment he slips his out of me while I was trying to figure out how to explain him that I might not keep this child despite it being his, but I do want him to stick around. I don’t have what he needs Mac. I knew that from the start yet I did nothing to stop us. I simply can’t have this conversation with him.”</p><p>Mac regarded this for a second.</p><p>“Did he really accused you of that?”</p><p>“No, that was actually René… Jack accused me of conspiring with a murderer. Why do I feel that is even worse?”</p><p>“Umm.”</p><p>“So he accused me of sleeping with Julian and I have told him to get out and he just packed his bag and left. Just like that without any protest. Can you believe that?”</p><p>“Umm… Yes?”</p><p>Mac knew that Jack is the type of man who would do what his woman asks him to do.</p><p>“And in the middle of our murder case. Just when I was about to solve this whole messed up case.”</p><p>“About that. When are you going to get me up to speed? And who is Julian?”</p><p>“The one you know as Paddy Feydman.”</p><p>“Aaah, look, I am not taking Jack’s side, but...”</p><p>“Don’t even start!”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“The point is, it wasn’t them. Janey and Paddy, their real names are Layla and Julian – are you following?”</p><p>“Yes, I am right in there.”</p><p>“Janey and Julian were both hired by Mr. Talby, the guy who threw the chair at my ribs, remember?”</p><p>“Yes, I do remember.”</p><p>“I have bought tickets for them, the train leaves at noon. We have to find Janey and get her on that train before Talby finds her. Julian said this is their secret meeting place.”</p><p>“Phryne stop calling her Janey, she is not your sister!”</p><p>“I know, I meant Layla. I just… for a while I had hope, that’s all. She made me feel like I have got her back even if only for a couple of days. I won’t let anything happen to her.”</p><p>Mac was certain her friend went mad.</p><p>“And in all of that you found the time to break up with Jack?”</p><p>“I received your telegram about the ‘happy development’ in our relationship when I got back to the hotel. I was in a bit of contemplative state when he barged in on me. He didn’t even give me the chance to tell him about my breakthrough in our murder case.”</p><p>“Oh well, he is getting actually paid for this job, let him work for his money this time.”</p><p>“So true… still I probably should have told him. Now he is running around clueless. Do you think he will get himself into trouble?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about him.”</p><p>“Just how am I supposed to do that?”</p><p>Mac decided to change the subject.</p><p>“On the bright side it resolves your dilemma. Now that he is out of the way, you can think more clearly.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say that.”</p><p>“Sometimes, despite all that I have to put up with, I think I am the lucky one. All men are arrogant, useless bastards. I am so sorry for those who were destined to settle for them.”</p><p>“Not helping.”</p><p>“He will be back, you know that. Once he realizes you are not in a relationship with Julian.”</p><p>“I don’t think he will. It is a good indication how he let his marriage disintegrate and how willingly he severed the connection with me after Gertie’s case. He is pretty good in hiding himself being lost in work and whiskey. No, he won’t, unless I chase him down again. I am tired Mac. I won’t fight him. He has the life he thinks he deserves. I can’t change that.”</p><p>“Like I have said, him being removed from this situation will give you some space to decide what you really want.”</p><p>“I did threw him out, I didn’t even tell him why… Do you think he would have accused me that the child is not his?”</p><p>“No, I don’t think so. I think if you had talked to him when I suggested to, you would not be in this situation.”</p><p>“I was going to lose him anyway. I just didn’t think of this outcome. Maybe it is better this way. This way I am only a careless incomprehensible woman to him, not a heartless child murderer monster.”</p><p>“I don’t know about that, but what are you going to do? I don’t want to push you, but the later you decide the more pressure you put on me if you decide not to keep it. I am skilled of course, but you are my best friend, remember? I am worried already.”</p><p>“Oh, so shall I change my doctor to make you feel better?”</p><p>“Phryne I will go to hell and back with you. Take your time, just not too much. What are you doing?!”</p><p>“I am climbing up. We are here. Look, the window is open.”</p><p>They were standing next to a brick wall with no one in sight. The window in question was on the second floor and Phryne’s legs already one meter above ground.</p><p>“No, you are not!”</p><p>To prove her point Mac grabbed her and forced her down back on street level to her feet. Phryne of course protested.</p><p>“We cannot enter through the front door. We should not be seen. The window is open and there is enough clotheslines to have a good grab. We are going in.”</p><p>“Phryne you are pregnant!”</p><p>“Not you too Mac...”</p><p>It was a stalemate.</p><p>“Mac, you are holding my arm too tight.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“You are going to leave a mark.”</p><p>“I don’t bloody care.”</p><p>“This is ridiculous.”</p><p>“I know!”</p><p>Mac finally let go of her.</p><p>“Don’t make me do this Phryne. I am a doctor. No pregnant woman climbs walls on my watch.”</p><p>“How about you climb and lower me a rope and I tie it around me so you could pull me in? That is allowed according to Hippocrates, isn’t it?</p><p>Mac was about to make a remark when their arguing duo was interrupted by a visitor in the alley. As they turned to check they have spotted Miss Layla Mirage.<br/>She stared at them a bit just to make sure her eyes not making tricks on her before turning around to run away. Phryne’s cry stopped her.</p><p>“Layla wait! Julian gave me the address. We are here to help!”</p><p>She turned back.</p><p>“Why would you? I have played a dirty trick on you.”</p><p>“You are wanted by the police and being hunted down by a madman. Do you think you and Julian could clear your names without any help?”</p><p>“We have survived so far.”</p><p>“Just surviving is not a good place to be Layla. Let us help. You know I am a Detective. Let me take your case. Julian already employed me.”</p><p>“Where is he? Is he alright?”</p><p>“He is waiting for you at the train station. We can take you to him.”</p><p>Miss Mirage hesitated for a moment. She looked at the crazy lady in her expensive dress and the other one in a man’s suit with a backpack. They didn’t look like the guardians she dreamed of.</p><p>“Good day ladies! I suggest you do not move.”</p><p>It was unexpected. They were too occupied with convincing Miss Mirage they didn't notice the man following them. Mr. Talby walked towards the women casually with a gun in his hand. Mac automatically stepped in front of Phryne to get her body between her pregnant friend and the gun. Phryne decided she won’t have any of it, so she grabbed her gently by the shoulders and firmly pushed her back where she was standing before.</p><p>“You are blocking my view.”</p><p>“Unbelievable.”</p><p>Miss Mirage took this moment to risk fleeing the scene. The first shot missed her just by inches. When the second shot shook the neighborhood she was long gone.</p><p>Back in the alley Phryne and Mac tried to wrestle down the man and make him drop his gun. When he shot the first bullet at Miss Mirage, Phryne charged at him trying to take him down. Only seconds later Mac pounced on then like a hunting tiger. The gun went off mid wrestling and the second bullet bounced off the alley’s brick wall and hit Mac on the backpack. She hissed as she felt the burning iron scratching her back but she didn’t let go.</p><p>Mr. Talby managed to kick the women off him and jumped up on his feet. Just when he aimed his gun to kill he was hit on the head by a lady’s purse. As he automatically raised his hands to protect his head from the next wave of assault from Miss Mirage’s purse, Phryne stabbed him on the upper arm that was holding the gun.<br/>It was too much for him. He dropped the gun and run away. <br/>Phryne gave chase for a while, but she quickly realized she won’t be able to outrun him.</p><p>“Damn! He took my dagger with him.” She complained as she got back.</p><p>“I think Mac is hurt.” Miss Mirage suggested while she helped Mac to undress to check the wound. She got her sit down on her coat.</p><p>“I am fine, it’s just a scratch. The bullet ended up between the cobblestones.”</p><p>Phryne inspected the wound. The bullet carved a path in the muscle tissue between her neck and right scapula. It wasn’t deep and as it was mostly burned, it only bled a little, still she needed to clean it. She searched the backpack and fished out a first aid kit and a bottle of whiskey. </p><p>“I see you packed professional.”</p><p>“It’s just one would always get into trouble and misery when dealing with you.”</p><p>“I take it as a compliment.” She opened the bottle. “I think we all should take our well-deserved medicine, don’t you agree?”</p><p>Mac took slow slips and shared the bottle several times with Miss Mirage while Phryne towering over her cleaned the wound and applied some bandage. </p><p>“You came back.” Phryne stated as Miss Mirage handed over the whiskey bottle.</p><p>“I’ve noticed you were not running behind me when I have heard the second shot.”</p><p>“You came back running towards the gunshots just to check on us?”</p><p>“No Phryne” Mac raised her head and whispered against her friend’s chin “she is still not your sister.”</p><p>“I know that.” Phryne replied and she took a sip from the bottle.</p><p>“Should you be drinking that?”</p><p>“Oh shut up!”</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack makes the arrest.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mr. Julian McKee sat alone in his train cabin nervously scratching off the old paint on the window frame. The train was about to leave and Miss Layla Mirage didn’t arrive yet. He didn’t notice the two Detective Inspectors and a Constable boarding the train at the very last second.<br/>
When the train swayed to departure Mr. McKee decided he waited enough. He jumped up to leave the cabin and get off the train while he could. As he opened the door to the corridor he stumbled into Detective Inspector Jack Robinson who immediately pushed him back.<br/>
Before he could react he got handcuffed and forced to sit back on his seat starring at a serious policeman who lifted his coat to present a gun tucked beneath. Mr. McKee's handbag landed on the floor between them.</p><p>“Were you expecting anyone else?” Jack started the conversation.</p><p>“What did you do to her?” His voice was serious with no trace of his usual playful charm.</p><p>“Mr. Julian McKee you are arrested on suspicion of the murder of General Clamp.”</p><p>“What did you do to her?” Mr. McKee got stuck on his question.</p><p>Jack leaned back in the seat and regarded the man considered to be his rival. Mr. McKee was incredibly handsome and young and casual, funny, liberal minded, everything that he wasn’t. He never stood a chance, he understood now. He spent the whole night trying to work through his heartache at the police station, trying to shut down his disappointment and logging for Phryne. He tried to lay down to sleep his exhaustion off, but every time he closed his eyes he saw images of Phryne and Julian wrapped around each other naked and kissing, just as they were kissing back in the gazebo at the charity gala. Even in the shower his thoughts were on the topic. He realized he had left his hair pomade and razor back in the hotel with Phryne. With his unshaven tired face and messed up hair he looked old and burned out compared to the energetic, immaculate Mr. McKee.<br/>
Unfortunately arresting him didn’t improve Jack’s mood, he was shaking with anger.</p><p>“I didn’t do anything to her. I simply suggested she should have not conspired with a criminal.”</p><p>“Conspired? It was an innocent paying job!”</p><p>“She paid you?!”</p><p>“She? For what?”</p><p>Jack gulped as he tried to focus and not hit the man in front of him.</p><p>“You were seen with Miss Fisher yesterday.”</p><p>“I was, so? Where is Layla?”</p><p>“Miss Fisher bought you tickets for this train ride.” Jack insisted.</p><p>“For Layla and me.”</p><p>“You took her up to your room…” Jack whispered as he began to lose his trail of thoughts.</p><p>“I had to. She puked all over my clothes. The non-fun side of pregnancies... I wonder if there is a fun side to it apart from, you know, causing it.”</p><p>It took some time for Jack to process what he has heard. But when he did, his expression said it all. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. Mr. McKee noticed.</p><p>“You didn’t know? How could you not know? I guess she didn’t puke on you, heh?”</p><p>“What about the condoms?” Jack managed to find one line from his rehearsed questions for this confrontation that still didn’t fell out from his brain.</p><p>“Well, if you didn’t want to knock her up you should have used them.”</p><p>“The ones in the bin back at your hotel room...”</p><p>“That is rather personal question. I don’t think my sexlife should concern you… oh wait, you think I’ve fucked her? Oh nonononono… Look at me! This face with this body is a moneymaker, alright? That room is my office, alright? I take customers there, paying customers. Phryne didn’t pay me to fuck her, alright? She puked on my clothes because she got sick, really sick, she got so dizzy she almost fainted, I had to fuckin help her just to walk, she even managed to wipe some sick into her hair. She washed her hair while I made her tea, she laid down a bit while I took a shower and tried to wash her sick out of my clothes and off my skin. That doesn’t smell good you know, not exactly aphrodisiac perfume.”</p><p>Jack sat there frozen listening as the gravity of his situation sank in. The gravity of what he had done, of what he had said to Phryne. It was too accurate to be only a made up diversion by Mr. McKee.<br/>
Jack noticed that Phryne was worried for the last couple of days, starring too much into the emptiness. And the way she was crying. He thought it was out of guilt. But no, Phryne would have never cried over an affair. How could he not see that? He expected her to tire of him, so at the first possible chance he made it happen. It was all in his mind and he dragged Phryne into it. No wonder she threw him out.</p><p>“You are not going to puke on me as well? You look a bit green now.”</p><p>“I just need some fresh air.”</p><p>Jack loosened his tie but it didn’t help to reduce the feeling of suffocation. He wanted to get up to stumble out to the corridor but Mr. McKee preceded him by quickly opening the window with his handcuffed hands. </p><p>“There you go. Please don’t puke, please don’t puke! Ah, now you look just like she did. It’s a sort of deja vu.” He was grinning wide right at Jack.</p><p>The fresh air filled the cabin as Jack managed to unbutton the top buttons on his shirt.</p><p>“You are enjoying this far too much for someone charged with murder.”</p><p>“But I didn’t do it. Didn’t Phryne told you that? Are you ever talk?!”</p><p>“What exactly did you tell to Miss Fisher?” Jack managed to ask with shaky voice.</p><p>“Last year I was approached by the man you know as Steven Talby. He was a paying customer. If it is paid, you cannot charge me with sodomy, right?”</p><p>“I’ll see what I can do…”</p><p>“He has found Layla. She was the key to this whole setup. He said we need to prepare her to be convincing enough to reopen the murder case of Jane Fisher. My task was to stir up things, harvest the opportunities as they come mainly to get to the police archive. The easiest way was to get arrested.”</p><p>“You were looking for the files on Murdock Foyle?”</p><p>“No, I only made that up. I knew you would buy that. Sorry.”</p><p>Jack just shook his head. This young man was a complete nutcase but a smart one for sure.</p><p>“He gave me the list of names to look for, they are in my notebook, in my bag. I kept them, because it has his handwriting. I thought that might prove something.”</p><p>Jack took the handbag from the floor. He carefully inspected its content. He found the notebook amongst clean clothes and way too many condoms. As he flipped through the pages he found meticulous records of Mr. McKee’s customers, some drawings, descriptions, notes on some interesting events. He used it as a diary. The list he was looking for was embedded between the preparation details to impersonate Jane Fisher and love poems titled ‘To Layla’. There were a lot of poems, they went on page after page. He couldn’t help but to read a few lines here and there. He had to admit. Mr. McKee had unsuspected depths.</p><p>“Why did you and Miss Mirage accepted the offer?”</p><p>“The money was tempting and to be honest it was a rather easy job for both of us. Layla is an orphan with amnesia and a trained experienced actress. It wasn’t hard for her to play a traumatized woman who doesn’t remember being kidnapped as a child. She absorbed the role like a sponge. I think she got close believing in it herself. I mean with actresses you never know. For me, that is what I normally do. I am an escort, I use seduction as work tool. And yes, sometimes the police lock me up for a bit. He paid half in advance and even half was more money that I see in a year.”</p><p>“You agreed to help a murderer and stirred up painful memories for a family.”</p><p>“Murder was never in the deal. I still do not know why he did it.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you come to the police?”</p><p>“It was his word against us… and by us I mean an actress with mental illness and an escort with loose morals and no tax record.”</p><p>“Do you have any idea what could have been Mr. Talby’s motive?”</p><p>“He never told us. But I think it was personal. There were signs and now that the outcome is clear I think it must have been for revenge.”</p><p>Phryne suggested it right at the beginning, Jack remembered. He was wondering what she would ask if she would be here. What would she do, what is she doing now, what is she going to do… Please god, let her be alright.<br/>
And then just like that it clicked in his mind, the pieces fell into place. He took out Sergeant Simon Morrell’s picture from his pocket and showed it to Mr. McKee.</p><p>“Does he look familiar?”</p><p>“Woa, he looks just like Steven. Who is on the picture?”</p><p>Sergeant Simon Morrell indeed shared a lot of familiar features with Mr. Steven Talby.</p><p>“He is one of the bodies we dug up. A police officer named Simon Morrell.”</p><p>“Wonder if he had a son?”</p><p>Jack remembered that he did and he wrote it down in his notes, his name and age.</p><p>“He was 4 years old when his father was killed. Steven Morrell.”</p><p>“I bet the name is not a coincidence.”</p><p>Jack closed his notes with a sigh. They needed to get off the train and get back to Sydney. Suddenly he felt like getting sick again.</p><p>“You were expecting Miss Mirage to join you on this train ride?”</p><p>“Yeah. You believe me now that I wasn’t going to elope with Phryne?”</p><p>“She bought you the tickets. Was she giving it to Layla or you have them both?”</p><p>“No, I told her where to find Layla, she had the other ticket.”</p><p>“If Miss Fisher was supposed to bring Miss Mirage here, why aren’t they here?”</p><p>"Aren't you stopped them?"</p><p>"I didn't talk to them."</p><p>The cabin’s door opened, but instead of the constable Jack left on guard Mr. Talby stepped in with the constable’s gun in his hand. Jack was already jumping on him when he was hit on the head with that gun. The blow cut the skin at his left eye and he fell knocked out on the floor before Mr. McKee’s legs.</p><p>“I suggest you don’t move.” </p><p>Mr. Talby while holding the gun at Mr. McKee bent down to search Jack and he fished out his gun under his coat. </p><p>“If you shoot me the police were come.”</p><p>“As you can see they have been dealt with.” To prove his point he smashed his boot heels into Jack’s face. He did not wake, but the cut above his left eye began to spread blood on his face and on the floor.</p><p>“What did you do to Layla?”</p><p>“Do not worry, you will meet the same fate soon.”</p><p>“Why?” Mr. McKee’s tears were coming down his face “We were no threat to you, we were about to leave the continent.”</p><p>“You did not leave Julian! You have talked to the detectives. You should have not done that. Now they also must be killed.”</p><p>“You can’t just kill the police. They will hunt you down.”</p><p>“No, they will not! Nobody will care, just like nobody cared about my father. Nobody ever cared about me. They took everything from me, don’t you see? We were just tiny replaceable items, expendable for the mighty operation, all in the line of duty.”</p><p>He slapped his boots again into Jack’s unconscious body.</p><p>“It was a setup from the start, the General confessed. They placed my dad amongst their ranks just to be killed. So they could point out that an inside man started killing them off. And because the inside man was already killed they couldn't figure out, it turned them against each other. What a genious plan, leaving my life ruined as a result. I confronted the General and he confessed. And I hit him with that rock. I would do that again, that filthy monster. They are all monsters, they should all pay for what they have done to me. And now I have to kill you too, all of you.”</p><p>“No, we would have not talked!” Mr. McKee insisted as he kept on crying.</p><p>“Now I am making sure of it.”</p><p>“But not Layla. Please tell me you didn’t hurt her. She was no threat to you, nobody would have beleived her.”</p><p>“Don’t be so naive.”</p><p>But Mr. Talby didn’t get his chance to shoot his old escort between the eyes because Jack jumped up from the floor and pushed him back. The shot landed in the sealing and Mr. Talby let go of the gun to get a grip on Jack.<br/>
Mr. McKee still in handcuffs pulled the emergency break. As the train breaks applied the wrestling duo came falling back on him. Jack wasn’t hundred percent himself after being kicked on the head several times, but he surely recognized he was being choked to death. With his one eye impaired and the other one blurring from his oxygen deprivation he still noticed the red spot on Mr. Talby’s upper arm where Phryne’s dagger landed not long ago. That was his chance. He hit it as hard as he could and again and again, until he could free himself from the death grip. Mr. McKee crawled out from under them and tried to get at least one of the guns lying on the floor beneath the kicking bodies.<br/>
Mr. Talby managed to get on top and to Jack’s horror the dagger he waved in front of him ready to stab was Phryne’s. The realization that he might have got it from her dead hands left him numb. That is when Mr. McKee decided to shot their attacker on the shoulder.</p><p>---</p><p>Mr. Julian McKee was still in handcuffs when the police took them to the nearest hospital in separate cars. It scratched the skin on both of his wrists, but he was too worried to notice. The ambulance took Mr. Talby and the constable who stood on guard at the train’s corridor. At the hospital Detective Inspector Anderson was holding an icepack to his head while he was trying to calm Jack down. Jack's left eye was still bleeding but he refused to cooperate as he wanted to make a phone call. Mr. McKee watched them making the call as the head nurse let them finally use the phone. He felt his hearth drumming so fast it almost run out from his body. The moment of truth hanged in the air and he knew his whole life would depend on it. He was sure Jack felt exactly the same.<br/>
He could see Jack through the glass door one hand holding the phone and in the other gripping Phryne’s dagger like a dog holding on to its dearest bone. He watched them as DI Anderson unscrewed the phone from his hands and Jack, pale as the hospital’s wall except the blood on his face got back to him to the corridor.</p><p>“They are fine Julian. They are both fine.”</p><p>Mr. McKee hysterical laughter filled the corridor as he jumped up in joy. He tried to embrace Jack but he could only nudge him as he was still handcuffed.<br/>
Jack didn’t return the gesture.<br/>
Just as in the hotel’s bathroom he sunk down to the floor with his back against the wall, cradling one of Phryne’s item, this time her dagger in his hands, and this time he was crying.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack goes back to Melbourne.</p><p>Here is the final chapter.<br/>Thank you for sticking around.<br/>I hope you enjoyed it as much as I was enjoying writing it. My first time writing in English, it really took the energy out of me.<br/>Comments are welcome. :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a bright sunny afternoon when Jack got discharged from the hospital. He had a nasty cut above his left eye stitched up and the eye itself hemorrhaged, turning the white of the eye completely to a red pool with his dark wide pupil surrounded by a greenish circle floating on it like a island. He got an eyepatch from the hospital and not just for aesthetics. He had to keep his left eye from sunlight, too much light, reading or watching moving pictures for a couple of days if we wanted to prevent sight damage. He was allowed to put it down for sleeping or moving around at night. <br/>The itching was already killing him.</p><p>DI Anderson waited for him on the pavement with Mr. McKee on his side. Both men were in a good mood and failed in their attempts to hide their amusement at Jack’s pirate like looks.</p><p>“How are you feeling Robinson?” DI Anderson asked as they shook hands.</p><p>“It took some convincing, but I am glad they finally allowed me to leave.”</p><p>“You look good.” Mr. McKee shook his hands as well “Very exotic.”</p><p>“I have a job for you. You need to escort Mr. McKee back to Melbourne for trial. Are you up to the job?”</p><p>“Yes, I am.”</p><p>“Here are your orders, the tickets and some evidence.” DI Anderson handed over a folder and a bag with Phryne’s dagger in it. “Do you want me to handcuff him?”</p><p>“That won’t be necessary.”</p><p>“I am glad” Mr. McKee flashed his brightest smile on him “I was really looking forward to spend some non-handcuffed time with you.”</p><p>“That would be all.” The Inspector shook their hands goodbye. “Good job Robinson. Have a safe journey.”</p><p>Jack nodded and watched as his colleague got to his car and drove away.</p><p>“So Jack.”</p><p>“Julian?”</p><p>“How about we grab a drink before our train leaves?”</p><p>“It’s your town, lead the way.”</p><p>---</p><p>“Why are you so dour?”</p><p>They have found a small bar next to the station. There were a couple of people playing cards, but they have found a quiet corner at the bar table where the barman kept their glasses filled.</p><p>“We should celebrate. The girls are back safe in Melbourne, you solved the case, I have a good chance not ending up in jail and you are going to be a dad.”</p><p>Jack sighed into his glass and scratched the contours of his eyepatch.</p><p>“I don’t know about that.”</p><p>“Are you worried because Phryne and you had a fight?”</p><p>“It was more serious than just a fight.”</p><p>“You were an idiot that’s all, it’s not like you beat her up or something. Women are wired up differently than men. You’ll be surprised how much they can tolerate.”</p><p>Jack was married for 16 years, he knew exactly just how much women could put up with.</p><p>“You do not know her, she is not wired up the same way as other women.”</p><p>“She loves you.”</p><p>“She never ever told me that, not even once.” Jack kept on scratching his eyepatch. The itching drove him crazy.</p><p>“Just take it off. We are in a dim corner.”</p><p>This time Jack took Mr. McKee’s advice and removed the item.</p><p>“I didn’t thank you for saving my life.” Jack told him as he put the eyepatch into his pocket.</p><p>“It was a joint effort.” he played modest but was beaming with pride. “Oh, I have something for you. Give me the dagger.”</p><p>Jack complied and watched him as he cut into a hiding place clearly missed by the police inspection on his handbag and produced a ring with an impressive diamond.</p><p>“Now don’t jump into conclusions, it is not stolen. I received it from a customer as a token of her affection and also to keep my mouth shut in front of her daughter. I was sleeping with both of them. But the point is I am giving it to you, so you can propose to Phryne.”</p><p>Jack let out a painful sigh and shook his head. The ring was beautiful and looked ridiculously expensive.</p><p>“She is not the marrying kind.”</p><p>“Still, you have to propose. Common, you have nothing to lose. If she doesn’t want the ring just give it back to me. No harm done.”</p><p>“If I ever get the chance to propose to her, I would do it with the ring I am picking up for her.”</p><p>“Alright. Just think about it. This diamond is pretty amazing and she is a special lady. You know I would have fucked her if she gave consent. Steven already paid for it. But I’ve recognized what is going on between you too so I used it to my advantage. I understood because I was in the same place with Layla, at a stalemate, no chance of moving forward, too late to go back. I needed a push, which didn’t come so I messed with you two instead. You like Shakespeare? You know Hamlet successfully made everybody believe he went mad, mainly because he was a little mad to begin with. A dark dour prince with strange ideas. I could play you because everything I made you think or do was already in your mind.”</p><p>Jack hummed in agreement. That is how the humand mind works.</p><p>“So, did you and Layla?”</p><p>“I am still waiting for my push.”</p><p>“And you decided to push me instead again.”</p><p>“Well, I have nothing else to do at the moment.”</p><p>Jack smiled for the first time since he left Phryne to meet the Commissioner. It was a sad smile, but still Mr. McKee took it as a good sign. Jack took the ring and gave it a closer look.</p><p>“You should give it back to the mother.”</p><p>“You see, you do not understand women at all. Giving it back would be an insult. It has a financial value to me but for her knowing that I am having it from her has emotional value. You should never deny that from a woman.”</p><p>“So what would she think if she would find her precious token of affection for you on the finger of another woman?”</p><p>“Phryne almost never comes to Sydney.”</p><p>Jack sighed in defeat.</p><p>“How about you get us a refill of something stronger?”</p><p>“Alright.”</p><p>Mr. McKee approached the other end of the bar where the barman was casually cleaning the glasses. Jack put down the ring on the bartable and laid down his head to feel the cold hard wood against his itching eye. The ring was a big blur just before his right eye out of focus.</p><p>“What is with him?” The barman asked Mr. McKee.</p><p>“He knocked his girlfriend up, they had a fight. Do you have something good and strong? He needs some encouragement to propose.”</p><p>“I think I can help you with that.” The barman pulled out a bottle from under the table. “From the motherland, single malt” He explained as he poured the amber liquid into three tumblers. He carried them back to Jack.</p><p>“Common lad, drink it.”</p><p>Jack looked up to the barman than to Mr. McKee awaiting for an explanation.</p><p>“You have to do the right thing” the barman continued “if you got your sheila pregnant you have to propose.”</p><p>“She would never marry me” Jack finally managed to get it out from his system as he took the tumbler “she never wanted to have children.”</p><p>“That is just quitter talk lad” the barman insisted “I have three daughters. If one of them gets in trouble with a young lad and didn’t want to get married, I would make them. When I’ve knocked up my love I didn’t leave her in trouble. That is what you do. You stick to your sheila and your children. They will keep you in a family, out of trouble, warm and well fed. If you are good to them they will keep you happy. Trust me lad, I see this every day here. Those who live without family don’t last long. You don’t want to be like that. Besides, why wouldn’t she want to marry a well cut fellow like you?”</p><p>Jack didn’t answer just turned his head to let him see his left eye. Even in the dim light of the bar he looked like a little monster with the red and the stiches.</p><p>“Did your sheila do that to you?”</p><p>Jack not just smiled but laughed before he emptied his tumbler. It was rather good, he admitted it. Mr. McKee and the barman joined in. They were good company and Jack felt grateful for their care. He just wished they would stop torturing him. He would have married Phryne faster than the speed of light. He wanted to be her husband, the only man to have her. He also knew he would never forgive himself if she would be turned into the crying woman in his kitchen from his dreams.</p><p>---</p><p>Jack handed over Mr. McKee and went straight to his flat from the station. His quiet place to drink himself to sleep, his home. It was cold and empty but he stuck to it, like a loyal soldier to his trench, to his mates, his gun, his coat, to his bayonet. </p><p>He poured himself a drink and sat down to his sofa starring the rug in front of it. Could this be the one when I knocked her up? He mused. It was such a glorious moment…<br/>Who would have thought, it might have been from their very first encounter. He remembered not giving Phryne any time to prepare for it. He was trying for years with her ex-wife with no result. It was not just a glorious moment but a miracle.<br/>And Phryne would want to get rid of it, maybe she already did… Maybe he should ask her about that. Maybe he was afraid of the answer. He would find out eventually, pregnancy is not a condition of the mind.<br/>From all the women he slept with, not as many, but they would all wanted to have his babies, he was sure of it. He married the one he wanted to be the mother of those babies. It was clear and straight forward. </p><p>With Phryne nothing was.</p><p>Yet, it worked with her. <br/>Since she barged into his life he got his game back, he managed to finally let go of Rosie and since they got together the nightmares stopped. The nightmares of the war or seeing Phryne dead because he was too late. They got replaced by dreams of Phryne alive and naked and his. And she was truly his not just in the dreams.<br/>He had more sex and love and fun in those weeks together than all those years after he got back from the war. <br/>He was alive again and he had a place in the world, he had a professional partner, he was loved and he had a home. Not this old, cold cave for hiding and drinking, but a real home with the warmth of a woman. Phryne even restored his manhood with her womb being receptive to his seed, no matter what the outcome would be.</p><p>He got up, put down the drink and started to undress. He needed a shower, a shave and get dressed into fresh clean clothes.</p><p>---</p><p>“Mr. Butler.”</p><p>“Inspector, how good of you to visit us!”</p><p>The doors of Wardlow opened up for him and after taking of his coat and fedora he was guided into the parlour.</p><p>“Please be seated while I enquire if Miss Fisher is available for you.”</p><p>“Thank you Mr. Butler.”</p><p>Jack was nervous and while he had a couple of drinks as encouragement he couldn’t force down solid food into his throat. He drank a lot of water instead to keep his stomach occupied as he was determined to see this through.</p><p>“Jack!”</p><p>Phryne was dressed in a beautiful golden glittering evening dress with matching headpiece. She looked unearthly beautiful and Jack felt that even if she would threw him out it would worth it just for seeing her again.</p><p>“Miss Fisher. Forgive me for the intrusion, I won’t take up much of your time.”</p><p>“What’s with the eye?”</p><p>“It’s nothing. It’s… uh… sensitive to the light. I have to cover it for a couple of days.</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>As they were awkwardly starring onto anything but each other Mr. Butler discreetly put down the drinks on the table and left, closing the door behind him.</p><p>“Please sit down.” Phryne gestured to the seat in front of her.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>He sat down watching her carefully. She didn’t threw him out, that was a good start. He could work from there. </p><p>“What brings you here Inspector?” He didn’t miss the accent on his title.</p><p>“I have solved the case” he began “but of course you already solved it before me. As usual I was a few steps behind.”</p><p>She smiled. Better, much better.</p><p>“Are you embarrassed?”</p><p>“You have no idea how much.” His voice was a low whisper which made her shiver.</p><p>“Don’t be, you are not that bad.”</p><p>Flattery. Jack felt his muscles relax, he was on the right track.</p><p>“I have made the arrest and you weren’t there. I have made the interview and you weren’t sitting on it. It felt wrong, it was our case. Julian explained everything.”</p><p>“Everything?”</p><p>“Yes. Have you decided?”</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>“About our… ahm, your… the pregnancy, have you decided about the pregnancy?” It didn’t come out as he wanted, he sounded just like Hugh.</p><p>“No, I have not. Not yet.” Phryne answered in a neutral voice.</p><p>Jack stood up and stepped closer to her, but not too close to give her space.</p><p>“Phryne let me make myself perfectly clear. I am not here because of that. I am here because of us.”</p><p>“Go on.”</p><p>“If you don’t love me I will just go. I will not cause you any trouble. I will be your partner solving murder cases if you want me to be. I will swallow what comes with it, my broken heart my desires, because god knows I deserve it. For how I have treated you and for the trouble I have caused you. You needed me and I let you down. I won’t let you down again. If you want me out of your life I will be out.”</p><p>Jack took a deep breath before he continued.</p><p>“But if you love me, you let me come home.”</p><p>There was a heavy silence hanging between them as Jack waited for Phryne to react. He stood there as open and vulnerable as she never saw him before, yet determined to stand his ground. She took time to commit the moment to her memory. There might never be another one like this.<br/>Finally she stood up as well and stepped closer to him.</p><p>“So now you want to move in, hah?”</p><p>That was her answer. Jack huffed and looked for a seat to sit down. He had to sit down, she completely ruined this moment. What was he expecting anyway? <br/>Phryne laughed at his misery but quickly closed the gap between them to settle on his lap. She did it with such ease as it was the most natural thing to do amongst them. Jack automatically encircled his arms around her but was afraid to kiss her just yet.</p><p>“I can give you the guest room next to my room. It has enough space for you to bring furniture if you like.”</p><p>“I didn’t mean to intrude.” Jack managed after inhaling her scent with deep breaths calmed him down a little.</p><p>“I don’t have a choice.” Phryne whispered her lips so close to his almost touching “I am in love with you Jack, I simply cannot afford not having you.”</p><p>She waited for him to kiss her, which he did. First softly pushing his closed lips onto hers. As she opened them for him to enter he used a bit of tongue and soon they were holding each other kissing in a passionate delirium. Jack’s cock stood hard in an instant and as he felt Phryne rubbing onto it he wanted to enter her right there, in the parlour, in that chair, in that position. He just had to get rid of the barrier of clothing between them and feel if she was wet and ready for him. She was. How she was always ready for him amazed him immensely. How could he, a traumatized soldier, a divorcee, a pour dour policeman have such an effect on a marvel like Phryne Fisher. And while he was there, he inserted one finger inside her. <br/>She broke the kiss to moan and gasp for air.</p><p>“Jack stop… we need to go upstairs.”</p><p>He stopped but it was hard for him to focus.</p><p>“I wouldn’t mind…”</p><p>“My parents are in the dining room with Aunt P and Layla.”</p><p>“Oh... What?”</p><p>“Aunt P called them to meet her, remember? Now they are all here to be introduced.”</p><p>She stood up from his lap and started to drag him along.</p><p>“I see…err… shall I introduce myself?”</p><p>Jack looked down and just as he suspected his erection already strained his trousers.</p><p>“Maybe later. Now we are going up to my room.”</p><p>“Phryne…”</p><p>“I will be quiet, I promise.”</p><p>She wasn’t, but Jack really didn’t mind.</p>
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